Information on cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of medical products
General Instructions
Handling brand new instruments
Brand new instruments must be cleaned before first sterilization or use. Protective caps and protective foils must be completely removed, e.g. from chisels, raspatories or microsurgical instruments.
Cleaning-disinfection-sterilization of motor systems and handpieces
Aesculap motor systems and the handpieces are low-maintenance and known for their reliability. Premature wear and malfunction can be prevented by following the care instructions and the care instructions in the respective usage instructions for lubrication of the handpieces. If repairs or functional testing should nevertheless be required, please contact Aesculap Technical Service.
After Use
- Process contaminated instrument as quickly as possible.
- In the case of mechanized cleaning, place instrument on cleaning-compatible screen baskets (prevent unwashable areas).
- Dismantle instruments which can be dismantled into individual parts.
- Dispose of preferably when dry.
- In the case of wet disposal, use active disinfectants. Thoroughly rinse instrument with clear, running water before mechanized cleaning and disinfection.
If necessary, perform ultrasonic treatment according to the instructions of the device manufacturer:
- as effective mechanical support.
- For pre-treatment of instruments with dried contaminations before mechanized cleaning.
- Micro-instruments and instruments with fine working ends should not be cleaned with ultrasound, but rather only manually or by machine. In the case of mechanized cleaning, lay micro-instruments in appropriate positioning aids .
- Clean manually or by machine. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Manual Cleaning / Disinfection
- Lay instrument in a suitable active disinfectant so that all surfaces, cavities, lumens and openings are covered. Observe the instructions of the disinfectant manufacturer.
- Always rinse sufficiently and intensively with clear and running water after chemical disinfection. Observe the instructions of the disinfectant manufacturer.
- Remove adhering contaminants with a soft synthetic brush. Do not use abrasive cleaning agents or metal brushes.
- Clean lumens and channels with soft synthetic round brushes. The diameter of the lumen and the brush must correspond.
- Perform final rinsing with distilled or demineralized water.
- Dry instrument with absorbent, soft and lint-free cloth.
- Dry lumens and channels with compressed air.
Machine Cleaning / Disinfection
- Consider the material (e.g. stainless instrument steel, aluminum) of the instrument to be cleaned when choosing a program. Observe the instructions of the device manufacturer.
- Perform final rinsing with demineralized water.
- Allow for a sufficient drying phase.
- Remove instrument from the machine immediately after completing the program.
Maintenance / Inspection / Packing
Maintenance / Inspection
- Allow instrument to cool to room temperature.
- Oil movable parts (e.g. joints and terminations) slightly with sterilizable, vapor-permeable maintenance oil (e.g. STERILIT oil spray JG 600 or JG 598 maintenance oil, physiologically safe according to DAB and § 31 LMBG).
- After any cleaning or disinfection, inspect instrument for cleanliness, functionality and damage, e.g. bent, broken, cracked, worn or disconnected parts.
- Sort out and replace damaged and defective instruments.
Packing
- Store instruments with fine working end and/or micro-surgical instrument in appropriate storage aids.
- Fasten instruments with locking devices in the first catch.
Sterilization
Steam sterilization must be performed in accordance with a validated steam sterilization process (e.g. sterilizer according to EN 285 and validated according to EN 554). When applying the fractional vacuum method, sterilization must be performed with the 134° C/2-bar program at a minimum hold time of 5 minutes.