Sterility testing: how appropriate for the hospital

In the hospital the need to test for sterility is as vital as in industry. However, the means of accomplishing this are quite different. The sterile "products" produced are used prior to a final sterility certification and this time-honored concept presents interesting challenges. Associated with the techniques of monitoring sterility are numerous problems. The difficulty of the hospital attempting to sterility-test sterile disposable devices they have purchased and shortcomings involved in culturing techniques used to evaluate the hospital's internal sterilization program are reviewed, A program for assurance of sterility based on proper monitoring ot the sterilizer and adequate preparation of the goods being processed are given.