Efficacy of Cleaning Methods for Ophthalmic Microscopic Instruments: A Comparison Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Surgical Instrument Decontamination
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Blood and silicone oil are challenging contaminants on ophthalmic surgical instruments.
• Effective cleaning is crucial for instrument reprocessing and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the optimal cleaning procedure for ophthalmic surgical instruments contaminated with blood and silicone oil.
• To compare the efficacy of different cleaning agents and methods.

Main Methods:

• Microscopic instruments made of titanium alloy and stainless steel were contaminated with blood or blood and silicone oil.
• Instruments were subjected to one of four cleaning procedures involving water, multi-enzyme detergent, or alkaline detergent.
• Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) testing was used to verify cleaning efficacy.

Main Results:

• The combination of alkaline detergent immersion followed by multi-enzyme ultrasonic cleaning demonstrated the highest cleaning effectiveness.
• This optimized procedure achieved a 92.5% cleaning effectiveness score.
• The tested procedure was superior to other combinations of cleaning agents and methods.

Conclusions:

• Alkaline detergent immersion followed by multi-enzyme ultrasonic cleaning is the most effective method for decontaminating ophthalmic surgical instruments soiled with blood and silicone oil.
• This finding provides critical guidance for sterile processing departments to improve cleaning protocols.
• Optimized cleaning protocols enhance the safety and longevity of surgical instruments.