New Low-Temperature Sterilization Systems
Photo/Illustrations
The STERRAD® Sterilization System
The STERRAD® Sterilization System is a medical sterilizer based on
a patented process involving hydrogen peroxide and the generation of a low-temperature
gas plasma. Efficacy results from laboratory tests of the System demonstrate
destruction of a broad spectrum of microorganisms as well as highly resistant
aerobic and anaerobic bacterial spores on medical and surgical instruments.
Since no toxic residues or emissions are associated with the STERRAD Sterilizer
process, sterilized items require no aeration period and may be used immediately
following the one-hour sterilization cycle. The System is safe for healthcare
workers, patients, and the environment--no vents, drains, monitors, or protective
garments are required--and is well-suited for placement wherever it is needed
within the healthcare facility, including the surgical suite. The STERRAD
System is designed and manufactured by Advanced Sterilization Products,
a division of Johnson & Johnson Medical, Inc., located in Irvine, Calif.
The Hydrogen Peroxide Gas Plasma Sterilization Process:
The STERRAD® 100 Sterilization Process
1. Vacuum
Medical instruments
are placed in the sterilization chamber (4 cubic feet in capacity). The
chamber is sealed and air is pumped out to create a strong vacuum.
2. Injection
A solution of
59% hydrogen peroxide and water (from a cassette inserted by the operator
at the beginning of every 10 cycles) is automatically injected into the
sterilization chamber.
3. Diffusion
The solution
vaporizes and diffuses throughout the chamber, surrounding the items to
be sterilized. Hydrogen peroxide exhibits antimicrobial activity and is
capable of inactivating microorganisms that it encounters in the sterilization
chamber.
4. Plasma
Radio frequency
(RF) energy is applied to create an electrical field, which in turn initiates
the generation of the low-temperature plasma, i.e., a cloud of reactive
and unstable species. These unstable particles collide with one another
to produce a variety of new species, including free radicals, that, like
the hydrogen peroxide vapor, are capable of inactivating any microorganisms,
viruses, or spores that may be encountered within the sterilization chamber.
In the plasma phase, the activated components ultimately lose their high
energy and recombine to form primarily oxygen and water vapor. The combination
of the diffusion pretreatment and plasma phases acts to sterilize while
eliminating harmful residuals.
5. Vent
The RF energy is turned
off, the vacuum is released, and the chamber is filled with filtered air,
returning it to normal atmospheric pressure. After 10 sterilization cycles,
the cassette self-ejects into an internal receptacle for future disposal.
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