Autoclaves for Orthopedic Surgery: Best Practices to Follow Written by: Arthur Trapotsis In order to ensure patient safety and achieve successful surgical outcomes, orthopedic surgery centers (OSCs) need to sterilize all equipment — including implants — before use. As demand for total joint surgeries and outpatient procedures increases, so, too, does the total volume of implants, instruments, and other equipment that requires processing. Steam sterilization is one […] Tweet Like Share
Do You Need a Large Capacity Autoclave? [Or Do You Just Think You Do?] Written by: Arthur Trapotsis The definition of the word “large” can be subjective — what one person considers massive, another might find diminutive. In the world of steam sterilization, the commonly held wisdom is that any autoclave that requires a pit or is big enough to walk inside of, is considered a “large capacity autoclave” or a “bulk autoclave.” […] Tweet Like Share
Autoclaving Liquids: Ensure Sterility, Avoid the Burn Written by: Scott Mechler There are a number of concepts to be aware of when autoclaving liquid loads. We’ve covered the basics of liquid sterilization in this previous post, as well as challenges related to liquid boil-over. Many labs still struggle to achieve the correct balance between reliable sterility and damage to their products when it comes to liquid […] Tweet Like Share
CSS’ New Healthcare Autoclaves Are Full of Exciting Features Written by: Scott Mechler As of August 2, 2022, Consolidated Sterilizer Systems’ new line of healthcare steam sterilizers have received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — and we couldn’t be more excited. Designed and manufactured specifically for use in healthcare facilities, including hospital and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), our healthcare autoclaves (Consolidated HC Steam Sterilizer models […] Tweet Like Share
Autoclaves for Mushroom Cultivation Written by: Scott Mechler For mushroom growers, contamination from trichoderma, bacteria, mold, and more all pose a risk to your crop. Some of the leading causes of contamination are airborne contaminants and contamination from incorrectly sterilized or improperly pasteurized tools, substrates, and/or cultivators. One of the most effective ways for mycologists to avoid mushroom contamination is to establish a […] Tweet Like Share
Sterilization in the Cannabis Industry Written by: Dan Butler Public perception of cannabis has dramatically changed over the past decade, with two-thirds of Americans now in favor of legalization, and an entire industry has sprung up around. In fact, Grandview Research valued the global legal cannabis market at $13.2 billion USD in 2021, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 25.5% from 2022 […] Tweet Like Share
Consolidated Slated to Enter Healthcare Market Written by: CSS Marketing Team UPDATE: August 2, 2022 — Consolidated Sterilizer Systems’ new line of healthcare sterilizers have received official FDA clearance. July 20, 2022 (BILLERICA, MASS.) – Consolidated Sterilizer Systems is excited to announce its official venture into the healthcare sterilizer market with three new, FDA-cleared steam sterilizers. These autoclaves will be used in healthcare facilities such as […] Tweet Like Share
Take a Look Inside Consolidated’s Wellness Program Written by: CSS Marketing Team Workplace wellness programs: Are they worth the hype? If we look at the data, all signs point to “yes.” Research shows that of employees who participate in their company’s wellness program: 83% enjoy their work more, 84% are likely to recommend their workplace to colleagues, 91% are less likely to leave, and 84% are more […] Tweet Like Share
CSS CEO Publishes New Book on Fitness, Work/Life Balance Written by: CSS Marketing Team Consolidated’s CEO Publishes New Book on Fitness, Work/Life Balance Consolidated Sterilizer Systems’ very own CEO and President, Art Trapotsis, has published a new book called The Everyday Athlete: How to Balance Work, Family, and Fitness for Life. The book addresses an important topic about weaving fitness into work and life obligations. Questions addressed include: How […] Tweet Like Share
How to Clean Your Autoclave’s Chamber Drain Strainer [w/ Video] Written by: Arthur Trapotsis Have you ever, after getting out of the shower, grabbed a piece of tissue and used it to quickly clear the drain of any hair, soap residue or other debris? If you have, you know firsthand that taking a few moments to clean up after yourself can prevent bigger issues further down the line — […] 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 […]