Transporte e armazenamento

: garantia de esterilidade dos dispositivos médicos críticos

Abstract

Introduction: The reprocessing of critical medical devices (DMc) aims the absence of viable microorganisms in order to ensure patient safety, which incorporates cleaning/ disinfection, inspection, packaging, sterilization, storage, transportation and use. It is a process that requires adequate physical conditions, standardization, monitoring, training and supervision. In DMc reprocessing cycle all phases are vital, converging to the prevention of health care associated infections. The present investigation had as objectives: to determine the DMc microbial load and analyze the assurance of sterility after transportation and storage in a Group of Health Centers (ACES). Material and Methods: New DMc commonly used in treatment rooms were employed in the methodological procedure that after being sterilized were moved in containers of non-porous material, easily washable, hard and airtight. Later they were stored for 21 days in drawers without cooling environment. The assurance of sterility was analyzed through biochemical assays of protein, ATP bioluminescence assays and microbiological assays. Results: The results showed that the bacterial load in DMc after transportation and storage in an ACES is null because there was no turbidity of the inoculum nor growth of the UFC in the culture media, the quantified ATP values were null and no residual protein was detected. Conclusion: This results give us good indication of DMc sterility

Date of Award	7 Jul 2014
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Pedro Miguel de Mendonça Rocha (Supervisor) & Manuel Luís Capelas (Co-Supervisor)