Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008
Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008 [PDF - 948 KB]
Table 7. Minimum cycle times for steam sterilization cycles
| Type of sterilizer | Item | Exposure time at 250oF (121oC) | Exposure time at 270oF (132oC) | Drying time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravity displacement | Wrapped instruments | 30 min | 15 min | 15-30 min |
| Textile packs | 30 min | 25 min | 15 min | |
| Wrapped utensils | 30 min | 15 min | 15-30 min | |
| Dynamic-air-removal (e.g., prevacuum) | Wrapped instruments | 4 min | 20-30 min | |
| Textile packs | 4 min | 5-20 min | ||
| Wrapped utensils | 4 min | 20 min |
Modified from Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. 813, 819.
Table 8. Examples of flash steam sterilization parameters.
| Type of sterilizer | Load configuration | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravity displacement | Nonporous items only (i.e., routine metal instruments, no lumens) | 132°C (270°F) | 3 minutes |
| Nonporous and porous items (e.g., rubber or plastic items, items with lumens) sterilized together | 132°C (270°F) | 10 minutes | |
| Prevacuum | Nonporous items only (i.e., routine metal instruments, no lumens) | 132°C (270°F) | 3 minutes |
| Nonporous and porous items (e.g., rubber or plastic items, items with lumens) sterilized together | 132°C (270°F) | 4 minutes | |
| Steam-flush pressure-pulse | Nonporous or mixed nonporous/porous items | 132°C (270°F) Manufacturers' instruction |
4 minutes |
Modified from Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. 812, 819.
Table 9. Characteristics of an ideal low-temperature sterilization process.
High efficacy: the agent should be virucidal, bactericidal, tuberculocidal, fungicidal and sporicidal Rapid activity: ability to quickly achieve sterilization
Strong penetrability: ability to penetrate common medical-device packaging materials and penetrate into the interior of device lumens
Material compatibility: produces only negligible changes in the appearance or the function of processed items and packaging materials even after repeated cycling
Nontoxic: presents no toxic health risk to the operator or the patient and poses no hazard to the environment
Organic material resistance: withstands reasonable organic material challenge without loss of efficacy
Adaptability: suitable for large or small (point of use) installations
Monitoring capability: monitored easily and accurately with physical, chemical, and biological process monitors
Cost effectiveness: reasonable cost for installation and for routine operation
Modified from Schneider. 851
