Problems with the sterilisation and the maintenance of sterility of arthroscopic instruments: a comparison of different types of camera drapes.
Case reports of gas gangrene following arthroscopy using instruments sterilised with glutaraldehyde demonstrate the inadequacy of this sterilisation method. A safer way to achieve sterility is to combine gas-sterilised arthroscopes and a non-sterile camera covered with a sterile drape. Several different types of camera drapes are available; their different safety aspects are discussed.
Department of Surgery, Wedel Regional Hospital, Germany.
W
W
Herzberg
D020679:Arthroscopes; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D013242:Sterilization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013525:Surgical Instruments