Coping with Chronic Health Conditions: Tips

Advice For Healthcare Practices Using EO Sterilization Methods On Medical Devices

15 April 2022 by Freddie Cox

If your healthcare organization has medical devices that require sterilization but they're heat-sensitive, one of the best methods around is EO (ethylene oxide) sterilization because it doesn't produce a lot of heat. Just make sure you follow these protocols when using it.

Have a Licensed Company Carry Sterilization Out 

You can feel confident your medical devices won't be subject to damage by EO sterilization when you verify a licensed company completes it. They have completed this sterilization many times before and thus have their protocols down. 

All you have to do is schedule this sterilization and you can trust each stage will take place correctly, from how your medical devices are prepared to the sterilization device used to apply these special substances. If you're having really expensive medical equipment sterilized and it's heat-sensitive, then the right professional assistance matters a ton.

Make Sure Ethylene Oxide Residues Left Over Are Safe

Regardless of who carries out EO sterilization on your medical devices, there is still going to be some ethylene oxide left over. Small trace amounts won't have that much of an impact, but you need to verify this with all medical devices that go through this sterilization process.

The FDA has strict programs in place to ensure left-over EO doesn't create hazardous conditions around healthcare facilities using various medical devices in their operations. What you can do is send some of your medical devices off to labs to verify EO residues aren't going to cause issues now or later on.

Be Prepared to Have Sterilization Operations Professionally Monitored 

Regardless of how safe you think your healthcare practice's EO sterilization methods are or which professionals perform them, it's still important to keep these practices open to thorough monitoring. You legally need to do this as well according to FDA regulations.

You'll just need to be prepared for formal investigations that look at how EO sterilization takes place and the effects that it does or doesn't have. Then if there are things you overlooked, you can make the necessary adjustments to keep everyone involved in your healthcare practice safe.

If you need to sterilize medical devices that can't experience a lot of heat, EO sterilization practices are generally the best option. You just need to handle this form of sterilization carefully each time because you want to ensure your medical devices aren't damaged or leave those in your healthcare facility vulnerable to any hazardous conditions. For more information on EO device sterilization, contact a local health professional. 

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