How well does the Chemiclave sterilize handpieces?

Using the Food and Drug Administration's protocol for testing health care sterilizers, the author investigated the ability of chemical vapor and steam to sterilize handpieces. Five internal sites of six high-speed handpiece models and four internal positions of one low-speed handpiece model were each inoculated with 10(6) Bacillus stearothermophilus spores. Half-cycle challenges were conducted with Chemiclave models EC 5500 and 8000 (Barnstead/Thermolyne) and with two autoclaves, Tuttnauer 2540M (large chamber) (Tuttnauer USA Co., Ltd.) and Statim Cassette (SciCan USA). Experiments with spores either openly exposed or partially enclosed prove that chemical vapor is an excellent lethal agent, but strongly suggest penetration weakness [corrected].