Instruments Care And Clean

CLEANING, RINSING AND DRYING YOUR INSTRUMENTS

Manually

Use a mild soap solution and a soft brush (a new, soft toothbrush is ideal) to remove any stains. Box locks, serrations, and joints need special attention, since corrosion can start very quickly at these locations on an instrument. Never use abrasive powders or steel wool to remove stubborn stains, as these can damage the superfine finish of an instrument and can actually help cause corrosion.

Use distilled or demineralized water to rinse the instruments thoroughly, then carefully dry them to a bone dry condition with a hot air blower or lint-free cloth.

Do not allow anything to dry on an instrument during surgery. This includes, but is not limited to, medicine, saline solutions, and blood. After surgery, immediately rinse instruments in demineralized water in the surgical tray, including any instruments that were not used.

Ultrasonic Cleaning

This is the best method for cleaning your surgical instruments and we highly recommend this type of cleaning at the end of each surgical day.

Use only cleaning solutions recommended for stainless steel. Change the solution frequently and always use demineralized or distilled water. Heat water to 150°F, using an immersion heater or in a separate stainless steel container, if your unit does not have an automatic built-in water heater. Instruments should not touch each other in the wire basket. First, rinse each instrument under running water and then rinse in clean demineralized or distilled water.Dry instruments to a bone dry condition with a hot air blower or lint-free cloth. Inspect every instrument before returning it to storage.

If You Lubricate Your Instruments

Extremely delicate surgical instruments do not normally require lubricating baths. However, we do recommend that you lubricate any moving parts after each cleaning. Use only silicone or Teflon® lubricants which can hold up under autoclaving. Never use ordinary lubricants.

If you use lubricating solutions, be 100% certain that your instrument is completely free of stains or corrosion. Never cover up even the slightest corrosion with a lubricating dye. This can lock in corrosion and severely damage the stainless steel during autoclaving.

Sterilization

Before sterilizing, your instruments must be cleaned and rinsed; sterilization is not cleaning.

Use soft silicone tubing of the proper size and thickness to protect your instrument tips. Do not use rubber or plastic which can melt during autoclaving and can cause damage beyond repair.

Stainless steel instruments can be sterilized by steam autoclaving, chemical disinfectants, ethylene oxide gas, or even dry hot air. Though we believe that gas and chemical sterilization are the best methods, they may not be the most convenient due to the lengthy time to achieve the desired result.

Steam or heat sterilization are the most practical methods and require less time. However, remember that these methods can be damaging to delicate stainless steel instruments. Cleaning prior to sterilization is very important with these methods.

Diamond Knife Cleaning Procedure

After each use the diamond blade should be immediately flushed with distilled water through a syringe. A surgical sponge moistened (never dry) with distilled water should be used to gently wipe, without pressure, along the edges and the sides of the diamond towards the point. Never wipe the diamond from the tip towards the mounting.

Due to improper cleaning technique, a cloudy or opaque film may appear on the diamond. This is due to build up of blood and cellular debris on the blade. If this happens, the diamond blade should be cleaned in the manner above, except the sponge should be moistened with full strength hydrogen peroxide and then rinsed with distilled water.

If the blade does not extend from the handle easily, this could be caused by debris buildup due to improper cleaning. If this should occur, simply place the knife (with the blade retracted into the handle) into an ultrasound for approximately 60 seconds. This should eliminate the problem.

All Regal International Diamond Knives are supplied with a specially designed sterilization tray. The knife should be stored and protected in this sterilization tray and can be gas or steam sterilized. The diamond blade should be cleaned properly before sterilizing. If not, the blood and residual debris will be "baked" on the diamond.

Be sure to inspect every microsurgical instrument under magnification at the end of your surgical day. If a damaged instrument is detected, replace it.