title: Disinfection of corrugated tubing by ozone and ultrasound in mechanically ventilated tracheostomized patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medical equipment coming into contact with non-intact skin or mucous membranes is classified as semi-critical material. This equipment requires at least high-level disinfection, as the major risk in all invasive procedures is the introduction of pathogenic microbes causing hospital-associated infections.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the capacity of ozone gas and ultrasound to disinfect semi-critical, thermally sensitive material.
  
  
  METHODS
  Used corrugated tubing from mechanically ventilated tracheostomized patients in the intensive care unit was obtained. Enzymatic detergent was applied for 15min before different disinfection techniques were evaluated as follows: Group A (0.2% peracetic acid); Group B (ultrasound for 60min); Group C (application of ozone gas at a concentration of 33mg/L for 15min); Group D (ultrasound for 30min and ozone for 15min); Group E (ultrasound for 60min and ozone for 15min).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Application of ultrasound for 60min reduced the level of microbial contamination by 4 log10, whereas ozone alone and the other two combined techniques (ultrasound and ozone) and the peracetic acid reduced the level of microbial contamination by 5 log10.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ozone was the most advantageous technique taking into consideration processing time, ease of use, effectiveness, and cost. The use of ozone gas to disinfect semi-critical material proved to be technically feasible and extremely promising.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Universidade Camilo Castelo Branco (UNICASTELO), Center of Innovation, Technology and Education (CITE), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil; Faculdades Integradas do Tapajós (FIT), Santarém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Faculdades Integradas do Tapajós (FIT), Santarém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: J R F
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Faculdades Integradas do Tapajós (FIT), Santarém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade estadual do Pará - UEPA, Santarém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Bacelar Simplício
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Universidade Camilo Castelo Branco (UNICASTELO), Center of Innovation, Technology and Education (CITE), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Universidade Camilo Castelo Branco (UNICASTELO), Center of Innovation, Technology and Education (CITE), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: fernandesabm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D006801:Humans; D010126:Ozone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014140:Tracheotomy; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D010126:Ozone; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Decontamination; Disinfection; Ozone; Semi-critical material; Ultrasound