title: Reuse of medical devices: implications for infection control.
abstract: Reuse of both single-use and multiuse medical devices is a common practice and can result in transmission of infection when appropriate sterilization or reprocessing does not occur. Reuse of single-use devices can be problematic because there are no clear standards for reprocessing, although data regarding adverse outcomes are limited. Single-use devices are commonly reused, appropriately or inappropriately, in resource-limited settings because of cost constraints. Reuse of medical devices raises important legal and ethical questions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan, 3119 Taubman Center, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5378, USA.
authors.forename: Emily K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Shuman
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Chenoweth
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D004209:Disposable Equipment / Q000191:economics; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States