Why rigid closed container are better than peel pouches?
A rigid closed container is a container that is designed to maintain a specific environment inside by keeping external factors such as air, moisture, and contaminants out.
Use of rigid closed container :
While sterilization wrap will continue to be used to some degree, hospitals are seeking ways to improve upon the current process, reduce resterilization needs, reduce the use of disposable or single-use products and reduce waste.
One attractive option is the use of rigid sterilization containers for reusable medical instruments requiring sterilization. Sterilization packaging must allow for sterilant penetration during the sterilization process, prevent microbial penetration during storage and transport as a means of maintaining sterility of processed items, and facilitate aseptic presentation of the contents.1
Rigid containers (also called reusable hard cases) are typically made of anodized aluminum or stainless steel, can require a filter or be filterless, and meet all of these criteria. Additionally, rigid containers can protect the instruments from inadvertent drops, can facilitate the organization of the instrument sets and are not subject to any of the breakthrough or resterilization issues prevalent with blue wrap.
Cost benefit Analysis :
Disposable blue sterile wrap, used for the one-time sterilization of instruments before surgery, comprises a large portion of surgical waste—estimated by one study to comprise 19% of the OR waste stream.2
A recent onsite hospital study found that blue wrap may make up as much as 55% of the total volume of disposable plastics leaving the OR. 3. At Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, Central Processing estimated 5-10 torn blue wrap sets per week at a cost of $100/set—costing the organization between $500-$1000 per week and up to $50,000 annually,4 just from repackaging and resterilization efforts.
A transition to rigid sterilization containers can make long-termfinancial sense for a healthcare organization. Other noted benefits include a potential reduction in ergonomic wrapping injuries for Sterile Processing Department (SPD) staff, increased ease in keeping track of instruments, the avoided cost of blue sterile wrap and of course, the waste reduction benefits in the OR.
References :
1. Flynn, S. Considerations for use of rigid sterilization containers. Healthcare Purchasing News. October 2010. Accessed on March 18, 2011.
2. Laustsen, G. Greening in Healthcare. Nursing Management. November 2010. Vol. 41, Issue 11. Pp: 26–31. Accessed on March 11, 2011
3. Brannen, L., Guity, A. and DeLoach Lynn, C. Improving Sustainability Performance in a High-Paced, “Big” Cost-Center, and Resource-Constrained O.R. Setting. ASHE
International Summit and Exhibition on Planning, Design and Construction.
March 15, 2011.
4. McGurk, J. Greening Healthcare Through Pollution Prevention: Overview of Waste
Management. Greening of Hospitals Workshop
