Prons and cons of washer sterilizer over manual cleaning
Manual cleaning :
Pros:
- Parts can be cleaned without complete immersion in solution
- Microsurgical & opthalmic instruments are cleaned through this method ; not put in washer sterilizer
- Additional cleaning equipment such as wash & rinse tank is not necessary
Cons:
- Cleaning efficacy is less
- Required additional time to complete
- Labor intensive process
- Cleaning solution consumption is higher
- Limitation on use of aggressive chemical
- Personnel requires PPE to prevent accidental spray from contaminated body fluids
- Cost analysis : 50 -60 thousands to buy ; 30,000 for staff monthly ; 30,000 for its maintainance & repair .
Washer sterilizer :
Pros:
- can handle a large capacity of instruments
- It has a fully automated cycle
- It result in reduced instrument handling.
- It can include thermal disinfection from 176 to 194 degrees Fahrenheit (80 to 90 degrees Celsius)
- Instruments may be safely handle without gloves
Cons :
- It depends on liquid spray as the method for removing dirt and debris.
- If parts of instruments are not exposed directly to the spray, they may not get cleaned.
- More costly to purchase
- Cost - 40 - 50 lakh to buy with automatic repair option
The first, and perhaps most significant, is the advancement made in upgrading from manual or decontamination to an automatic
washer/disinfector alone can help CPD develop a quality decontamination system that will do more for less.
The second advancement has been in automating material handling systems that support automated single-chamber washers, and containing or reducing the amount of staff required to keep them humming.
References :
1 . Efficacy of a Washer-Disinfector in Eliminating Healthcare-Associated Pathogens from Surgical Instruments , William A. Rutala ,Maria F. Gergen & David J. Weber by cambridge university , 10 may 2016
2. Evaluation of the effectiveness of an enzymatic cleaner & glutaraldehyde-based disinfectant for chemothermal processing of flexible endoscopes in washer-disinfectors in …B Zühlsdorf, G KampItf Endoscopy 38 (06), 586-591, 2006
3. Natural bioburden levels detected on flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes after clinical use and manual cleaning Nancy S.ChuMSPatricia A.Antonoplos
4. Automating CPD Instrument Cleaning & Decontamination By Michael Cain
