[Comparison between steam and gas sterilized optics. Costs, availability, maintenance]

Area of Science:

• Medical device sterilization
• Surgical instrument reprocessing

Background:

• Optical instruments are critical for various surgical procedures.
• Sterilization methods impact instrument longevity and hospital costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the practical performance and cost-effectiveness of ethylene oxide (EO) versus steam sterilization for optical surgical instruments.
• To evaluate criteria including frequency of use, availability, sterilization cycles, and repair data.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study was conducted in a 300-bed acute-care hospital.
• 33 ethylene oxide (EO)-sterilized and 14 steam-sterilized optical instruments were analyzed.
• Data collected included usage frequency, repair history, and associated costs.

Main Results:

• Steam-sterilized instruments (14) were used 1101 times with 8 repairs costing 2000 SFR.
• EO-sterilized instruments (33) were used 1043 times with 10 repairs costing up to 2000 SFR.
• Total costs: 77,000 SFR for steam vs. 132,000 SFR for EO-sterilized instruments.

Conclusions:

• Steam sterilization is a preferred method for optical instruments due to its safety, speed, and lower toxicity.
• Steam sterilization offers advantages in personal care and pollution control.
• The study supports steam sterilization as a reasonable and efficient practice.