Impact of an oil-based lubricant on the effectiveness of the sterilization processes .
Surgical instruments, including hinged instruments, were inoculated with test microorganisms (ie, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, approximately 2 x 10(6) colony-forming units [cfu]; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, approximately 3 x 10(6) cfu; Escherichia coli, approximately 2 x 10(5) cfu; vancomycin-resistant enterococci, 1 x 10(5) cfu; Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores, 2 x 10(5) cfu or more; or Bacillus atrophaeus spores, 9 x 10(4) cfu or more), coated with an oil-based lubricant (hydraulic fluid), subjected to a sterilization process, and then samples from the instruments were cultured. We found that the oil-based lubricant did not alter the effectiveness of the sterilization process because high numbers of clinically relevant bacteria and standard test spores (which are relatively resistant to the sterilization process) were inactivated.
Rutala
William A
WA
Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care System, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7030, USA. brutala@unch.unc.edu
Gergen
Maria F
MF
Weber
David J
DJ
D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D054327:Lubricants / Q000737:chemistry*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D013242:Sterilization / Q000379:methods*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000382:microbiology*
D054327:Lubricants; D009821:Oils