Tag: Sterilization and Disinfection

WHO guidelines target catheter-caused infections

Editor's Note New World Health Organization (WHO) guidance aims to prevent the occurrence of bloodstream and other infections caused by improper use of catheters during medical procedures. Released May 9, the global guidelines focus on insertion, maintenance, and removal of catheters during medical procedures, which can damage organs and cause…

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By: Matt Danford
May 13, 2024
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WHO: Virus transmission airborne, not limited to droplets

Editor's Note In a move one expert calls “a complete U-turn,” the World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that viruses transmit through primarily the air via inhalation of tiny suspended particles of saliva and mucus, KFF Health News reported on May 1. Until now, health authorities have relied on the…

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By: Matt Danford
May 6, 2024
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AAMI guidance covers sterile processing of dilators, ultrasound probes

Editor's Note A new guidance document covering the entire process for the selection, labeling, and sterile processing of dilators and ultrasound probes is available from The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). Released April 17, AAMI TIR99:2024; Processing Of Dilators, Transesophageal And Ultrasound Probes In Health Care Facilities…

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By: Matt Danford
April 29, 2024
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Catheter sterility concerns prompt Class 1 FDA recall for surgery trays

Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration has designated DeRoyal Industries’ recall of GeoMed custom tracecarts a class 1, the most serious type of recall indicating a risk of serious injury or death. According to the April 24 FDA notice, the recall is due to sterility concerns with the…

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By: Matt Danford
April 24, 2024
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Editorial: Perioperative leaders push teamwork, communication at 2024 AORN Expo

Left sniffling and sneezing after a whirlwind 4 days at my first AORN Global Surgical Conference and Expo in Nashville, Tennessee, I had more on my mind than whether the term “conference-acquired infection (CAI)” was officially part of the medical nomenclature, much less whether any studies had been done. I…

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By: Matt Danford
April 19, 2024
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Surface disinfection: How to play your cards right with UVC light

Approximately one in 31 hospital patients has at least one infection on any given day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In surgical settings, the risk is even higher, with up to 7% of patients developing an infection during surgery. These infections can lead to a…

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By: Tra Vu, PhD
April 19, 2024
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EPA rule to limit dangerous emissions from medical sterilization plants

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Editor's Note The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule to reduce chloroprene and ethylene oxide emissions that will impact over 200 chemical plants across the nation, including medical sterilization plants, according to an April 10 report from USA Today. Under the new rule, the EPA will cut more…

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By: Brita Belli
April 11, 2024
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Study: UV-C light effectively disinfects non-sterile, high-touch surfaces

Editor's Note Although many studies have focused on infection transmission within the operating room, authors of research published in the March issue of the Journal of Infection Control focused their study of UV-C light disinfection on non-sterile hubs of patient care—in this case, high-touch surfaces within an academic endoscopy unit.…

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By: Matt Danford
March 26, 2024
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Forced-air device outperforms standard endoscope drying practices, study shows

Editor's Note Authors of a recent study evaluating the effectiveness of a forced-air drying system for endoscopes argue that the results reinforce the need to re-evaluate standard drying practices. Findings were published February 24 in the American Journal of Infection Control. Wet environments resulting from inadequate drying practices can result…

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By: Matt Danford
March 25, 2024
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New EPA standards to reduce ethylene oxide emissions

Editor's Note New standards from The Environmental Protection Agency promise to cut nationwide emissions of ethylene oxide—employed to sterilize more than half of US medical devices—by more than 90 percent. According to a March 15 MedPage Today report, the aim is to reduce cancer risk among the 13 to 14…

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By: Matt Danford
March 18, 2024
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