Using a stacker crane for sterile storage in the operating theatre: initial environmental microbiological...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Healthcare Engineering
• Infection Control

Background:

• Sterile surgical device storage is critical for preventing operating room contamination.
• Stacker cranes (STCs) present a potential functional and economic alternative to traditional sterile storage rooms (TSSRs).
• The microbiological performance of STCs has not been previously evaluated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualify a new STC system in a new operating theatre building.
• To compare the microbiological control performance of the STC against the previous TSSR.

Main Methods:

• Environmental sampling of air (N=56) and surfaces (N=534) from December 2020 to March 2021.
• Specimens were analyzed according to NF S90-351 French Association for Standardization standards.

Main Results:

• STC demonstrated lower overall non-conformity rates for air (8.3% vs 21.4%) and surfaces (9.7% vs 41.7%) compared to TSSR.
• An air-controlled barrier at the loading zone effectively prevented bacterial contamination.
• Surface disinfection alone was insufficient; aggressive aerial chemical decontamination was required for initial qualification.

Conclusions:

• STCs can contribute to space-saving and improved sterile surgical device storage and availability.
• The STC system maintained acceptable environmental conditions for sterile storage.
• Further research is necessary to evaluate long-term microbiological contamination within STCs.