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Review: Trends in Processing Prion-Contaminated Surgical Instruments
Abstract:
This review sought to provide an overview of proposed methods and protocols for processing surgical instruments contaminated with prions. A search of PubMed was conducted to identify studies published between January 1, 2012, and January 2, 2019, with no language restrictions and using varying combinations of the following terms: prions (Medical Subject Heading [MeSH]) OR decontamination (MeSH) OR cleaning OR disinfection OR sterilization. Articles were excluded if they did not involve medical device surfaces or describe the processing protocol. At least two reviewers independently selected articles, extracted data, and assessed data. A total of 627 articles published in peer-reviewed journals were identified. Of the 55 articles assessed for full-text eligibility, eight met the inclusion criteria. Only a few studies investigated protocols and methods for processing prion-contaminated medical devices; therefore, determining the best way to sterilize device surfaces and preserve the integrity of surgical instruments remains challenging. Moreover, the perspective of sterile processing department staff continues to be overlooked when designing studies.
Insights
This review highlights the limited research on effectively cleaning surgical instruments contaminated with prions. Developing optimal prion decontamination protocols for medical devices remains a significant challenge.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Device Sterilization
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Prion diseases pose a significant risk due to their resistance to conventional sterilization methods.
- Effective decontamination of surgical instruments is crucial to prevent prion transmission.
- Current protocols for prion-contaminated medical devices are not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize existing methods and protocols for processing prion-contaminated surgical instruments.
- To identify gaps in the research regarding prion decontamination of medical devices.
- To highlight the need for further investigation into effective sterilization techniques.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search of PubMed was conducted for studies published between January 2012 and January 2019.
- Search terms included 'prions', 'decontamination', 'cleaning', 'disinfection', and 'sterilization'.
- Articles were screened for relevance to medical device surfaces and processing protocols, with data extracted and assessed by independent reviewers.
Main Results:
- Out of 627 identified articles, only eight met the inclusion criteria.
- The review found a limited number of studies investigating prion decontamination protocols for medical devices.
- Existing research does not provide a definitive best practice for sterilizing prion-contaminated instruments.
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for more research into effective prion decontamination methods for surgical instruments.
- Developing robust protocols is essential to ensure the safety and integrity of medical devices.
- The perspectives of sterile processing staff should be considered in future research design.
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