title: From sterile debate to burning issue: the economics and safety dichotomy.
abstract: Surgical instruments are thought to be capable of transmitting spongiform encephalopathies from patient to patient, even after sterilisation. At the same time, there is an increasing trend to reuse devices intended for single use. This article discusses certain aspects of that apparent contradiction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Engineering at the University of Liverpool. dfw.ce@liverpool.ac.uk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000191:economics; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013242:Sterilization / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000382:microbiology*