Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
Clinical Application of Single-Surgeon, Three-Port, Laparoscopic Resection for Colorectal Cancer with Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction
Published on: March 24, 2023
Efficacy of decontamination and sterilization of a single-use single-incision laparoscopic surgery port
James G Coisman1, J Brad Case, Nadia D Clark
1Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
Objective:
To determine the efficacy of decontamination and sterilization of a disposable port intended for use during single-incision laparoscopy.
Sample:
5 material samples obtained from each of 3 laparoscopic surgery ports.
Procedures:
Ports were assigned to undergo decontamination and ethylene oxide sterilization without bacterial inoculation (negative control port), with bacterial inoculation (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium fortuitum) and without decontamination and sterilization (positive control port), or with bacterial inoculation followed by decontamination and ethylene oxide sterilization (treated port). Each port underwent testing 5 times; during each time, a sample of the foam portion of each port was obtained and bacteriologic culture testing was performed. Bacteriologic culture scores were determined for each port sample.
Results:
None of the treated port samples had positive bacteriologic culture results. All 5 positive control port samples had positive bacteriologic culture results. One negative control port sample had positive bacteriologic culture results; a spore-forming Bacillus sp organism was cultured from that port sample, which was thought to be an environmental contaminant. Bacteriologic culture scores for the treated port samples were significantly lower than those for the positive control port samples. Bacteriologic culture scores for the treated port samples were not significantly different from those for negative control port samples.
Conclusions And Clinical Relevance:
Results of this study indicated standard procedures for decontamination and sterilization of a single-use port intended for use during singleincision laparoscopic surgery were effective for elimination of inoculated bacteria. Reuse of this port may be safe for laparoscopic surgery of animals.
Insights
Standard decontamination and sterilization effectively eliminated bacteria from single-use laparoscopic ports. This suggests these disposable ports may be safely reused in animal laparoscopic surgery.
Area of Science:
- Surgical instrumentation
- Sterilization and disinfection
- Minimally invasive surgery
Background:
- Disposable surgical ports are increasingly used in single-incision laparoscopy.
- The potential for reprocessing and reuse of these disposable ports requires rigorous efficacy evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of decontamination and ethylene oxide sterilization for a disposable port used in single-incision laparoscopy.
- To determine if standard reprocessing can eliminate bacterial contamination on these surgical devices.
Main Methods:
- Material samples from three laparoscopic ports were tested.
- Ports were subjected to bacterial inoculation (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Mycobacterium fortuitum) and then processed with decontamination and ethylene oxide sterilization.
- Control groups included non-inoculated ports and inoculated ports without reprocessing.
- Bacteriologic culture testing was performed on port samples to assess bacterial presence.
Main Results:
- No treated port samples showed positive bacterial culture results after decontamination and sterilization.
- All positive control ports (inoculated, not sterilized) yielded positive bacterial cultures.
- Bacteriologic culture scores were significantly lower in treated ports compared to positive controls.
- Treated port scores were not significantly different from negative controls, with one exception attributed to environmental contamination.
Conclusions:
- Standard decontamination and ethylene oxide sterilization procedures are effective in eliminating inoculated bacteria from single-use laparoscopic ports.
- The findings support the potential safety of reusing these ports in animal laparoscopic surgery following reprocessing.
- This study provides evidence for the efficacy of reprocessing disposable laparoscopic surgical instruments.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...
01:30Methods of Sterilization II: Chemical Methods
Using chemical sterilization rather than heat to clean out equipment is recommended. It eradicates and removes all bacteria,...
01:29Methods of Sterilization I: Physical Methods
Steam sterilization uses non-toxic, low-cost moist heat in the form of saturated steam under pressure, which is fast, microbicidal, and sporicidal, and quickly warms and penetrates fabrics. Autoclaves, or steam sterilizers, expose each item to direct steam contact for a predetermined time at the necessary...