Covid-19 Pandemic: Face Mask Disinfection & Sterilization for Viruses Written by: Scott Mechler UPDATED 04/10/2020 New information regarding Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) and the reuse of N95 masks is being released at an increasing rate. CSS will attempt to update this page in a timely manner to reflect important changes. However, as information is rapidly changing, CSS is not able to guarantee that the information […] Tweet Like Share
Why Water Quality is Important When Using a Steam Autoclave Written by: Scott Mechler Water is the lifeblood of a laboratory autoclave. The quality of water you use will drastically affect the lifespan of your autoclave chamber and steam generator, as well as the types of loads that you can sterilize. To understand why, let’s address seven common questions about water quality and how to improve it. Read more → Tweet Like Share
Laboratory Autoclaves That Are Built to Last Written by: Scott Mechler When choosing an autoclave to purchase, it’s important to select one that is designed for durability and built to last. Here at Consolidated Sterilizer Systems (CSS), we’ve manufactured over 14,000 state-of-the-art laboratory autoclaves since 1946 — some of the oldest of which are still in operation today. Take, for example, the autoclave pictured below. This […] Tweet Like Share
Consolidated Sterilizer Systems Completes Challenging Autoclave Installation for Leading Medical Device Manufacturer Written by: Scott Mechler Project Name: Scientific Device Laboratory Type of Project: Custom Installation, Sterilizer Validation Sales Team: DAI Scientific Service Team: Amity Hospital Service The Client: Scientific Device Laboratory Scientific Device Laboratory is a Des Plaines, Illinois-based medical device manufacturer that applies its expertise in the fields of microbiology and specialty printing to the production of microscope slides, […] Tweet Like Share
How Much Does Your Sterilizer Really Cost Your Facility? Written by: Scott Mechler When purchasing a piece of capital equipment, such as an autoclave, it’s important to assess the total cost of ownership (TCO) because there can be many costs hidden in the ongoing service and maintenance of the machine. This article will help buyers, users, and owners determine the direct and indirect costs of procuring and operating […] Tweet Like Share
What to Do About Stained Packs After Autoclaving: Common Causes and Affordable Solutions Written by: Scott Mechler In the summer of 2016, Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) in Windsor, Ontario, was forced to cancel hundreds of surgeries at its Ouellette campus due to a “mysterious sterilization scare.” The strange scare, as reported in numerous media outlets, involved the staining of wrapping materials used to protect sterilized instrument trays during and after autoclaving. Because of […] Tweet Like Share
Consolidated’s CEO Challenges Industry with Benchmarks for Energy and Water Written by: Scott Mechler At a recent sustainability conference (International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories – I2SL) in Boston, Consolidated’s CEO Arthur Trapotsis challenged the steam sterilization industry to provide more “eco-friendly” equipment to research labs and hospitals. Trapotsis said that autoclaves are one of the single highest consumers of water in the laboratory, dispelling up to 12,000,000 gallons (18 […] Tweet Like Share
How to Validate an Autoclave: Sterilization Cycle Development Written by: Scott Mechler Cycle development is an important part of both the autoclave procurement and validation processes. In previous posts about validation, we explored Installation Qualification (IQ), Operation Qualification (OQ), and Performance Qualification (PQ). We also discussed the importance of steam quality testing as part of validating your autoclave, as well as Factory Acceptance Testing. In this post, we provide guidance in developing sterilization cycles and […] Tweet Like Share
How to Validate an Autoclave: Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) Written by: Scott Mechler A steam sterilizer, whether used for pharmaceutical or laboratory sterilizing applications, is designed to use steam under pressure as the sterilizing agent. When constructed, installed and operated correctly, a steam sterilizer should function properly and sterilize your load. But, how does a sterilizer manufacturer ensure the unit they’ve built is assembled properly and is in […] Tweet Like Share
How to Validate an Autoclave: Steam Quality Testing Written by: Scott Mechler The quality of the steam feeding an autoclave is an important factor in steam sterilization. Like time, temperature, and pressure, steam is a critical variable in the success and repeatability of the sterilization process. As such, steam quality should be part of the validation of any steam sterilizer. In previous articles other phases of validation […] Tweet Like Share
7.12.23 Cordyceps Sterilization: How to Kill “The Last of Us” Parasite → In HBO’s recent adaptation of “The Last of Us,” a popular action-adventure video game, life as we know it is upended by a parasitic fungus that transforms its human hosts into zombies. The culprit? Cordyceps, a real-life genus of fungus which is best known for infecting insects (most famously ants) in much the same manner […]
6.30.23 Top 13 Sterile Processing Mistakes in Hospitals → When it comes to ensuring patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) is among the last lines of defense. It’s this department’s sole responsibility to make sure that reusable instruments and devices are properly decontaminated, sterilized, and ultimately safe to use in future procedures — protecting patients from […]
6.22.23 Sterilization vs. High-Level and Low-Level Disinfection [a 3-Point Comparison] → In a 1939 paper, microbiologist Earle H. Spaulding introduced a system for determining which medical devices and instruments needed disinfection and which ones required sterilization. In it, he proposed that critical instruments would need to be subjected to more stringent disinfection protocols than non-critical patient care items. Today, this framework is fittingly known as Spaulding […]