- Type of steam sterilization
- Slowest of the steam sterilizer
- Required for certain items such as liquids
- Most use high temperature method
- Low cost, faster cycles,simple technology and leaves no chemical residue or by-products
- Conditioning
- Hot air to the top of the machine
- Cool air is forced to the bottom and out the drain
- Exposure
- Prepares the machine for the next stage
- Pressure and steam temperature to maximum of 250F
- Time is based upon the time-temperature relationship
- Exhaust
- Removal of the steam through the discharge line
4. Drying Phase
- · Starts at the end of the exhaust phase
- · Heated, filtered fresh air and heat from the chamber walls re-vaporize and remove any liquid and remove any liquid from the chamber
- · Avoid overloading
- · Avoid too tight packaging
- · Use an absorbent shelf cover to line the sterilizer cart’s shelf
- · Solid containers must be positioned
- · Small items should be loosely placed in wire baskets
- · Allow visible space between packs
- · When combining loads, place hard goods on the bottom
- · Packages must not touch chamber walls
- · Basin sets should stand on edge
- · Position textile packs so the layers within them are perpendicular to the shelf
- · When possible, sterilize textiles and hard goods in separate loads
- · Other than lumen, the items in the package must be completely dry
- · Surgical instruments trays with perforated bottoms should sit flat on the shelf to maintain even instrument distribution, and to facilitate proper drainage
**CAUTION: NO SPUNBOND-POLYOLEFIN COMBINATIONS FOR
PACKAGING**
Routine Monitoring
- · External chemical indicator tape
- · Internal chemical indicator strip
- · BI
- · The leak test
- If steam escapes from the safety valve or under the lid, the autoclave is not working correctly and it is merely steaming items at low pressure ( HLD, not sterilization)
- If steam escapes from the safety valve instead of the pressure valve, the pressure valve must be cleaned and inspected
- If steam escapes form under the lid, the gasket (rubber ring) must be cleaned and dried or replaced.