Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – Using sequentially applied treating agents
Patent
1993-04-14
1995-06-20
Lieberman, Paul
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Processes
Using sequentially applied treating agents
134 2, 134 2211, 134 29, 134 42, 422 28, B08B 304, B08B 302, A61L 218, A61L 224
Patent
active
054258154
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to cleaning and disinfecting medical instruments and in particular but not exclusively to cleaning and disinfecting medical endoscopes.
Particular care is necessary in the cleaning and disinefection of medical instruments such as flexible endoscopes which although immersible in aqueous solution cannot be heated to the temperatures normally associated with sterilizing equipment. In particular there are difficulties in ensuring the endoscopes are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each use since they tend to be heavily contaminated in use both externally and internally in the narrow channels which typically extend longitudinally through a flexible insertion tube of a flexible endoscope,
The present invention seeks to provide improvements in the apparatus and method used in such cleansing and disinfection of instruments including flexible endoscopes.
According to the present invention a method of cleaning medical instruments comprises the steps of placing the instrument in an enclosure and subjecting the instrument to a cleaning phase in which a cleansing solution is applied to the surfaces of the instrument, a disinfection phase in which a disinfecting solution is applied to the surfaces of the instrument, a rinsing phase in which a flushing solution is applied to the surfaces of the instrument, a purging phase in which a volatile liquid is applied to the surfaces of the instrument and a drying phase in which a drying gas is passed over he surfaces of the instrument.
Preferably the volatile livid is alcohol and the drying gas is sterile compressed air.
An advance of such a method is that any microbes or bacteria remaining on the surfaces of the instrument after the further rinsing phase will be destroyed and removed by the alcohol. Since alcohol is highly volatile the drying phase then leaves the instrument thoroughly dried. Removal of moisture from the instrument reduces the likelihood of colonisation by opportunistic organisms.
This use of alcohol also enables the instrument to decontaminated without reliance on more powerful disinfectants such as formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde, the vapours from which are known to cause adverse reactions in a significant proportion of hospital staff. The disinfectant used in the disinfection phase may then be a less powerful disinfectant such as quaternary ammonium compound.
Preferably the cleaning phase is followed by a further rinsing phase in which a flushing solution is applied to the surfaces of the instrument.
The instrument may be an endoscope having a handpiece which is supported in a cradle within the enclosure such that the endoscope depends from the cradle. The cradle may be provided with upwardly directed jet nozzles whereby during the cleaning, rinsing, disinfection and purging phases the handpiece is lifted clear of contact with the cradle by liquid pressure from liquid emerging from the jet nozzles. All surfaces of the instrument are then accessible for cleaning.
Preferably fluid applied to the endoscope surfaces during each phase is removed from the enclosure via a waste outlet without being re-circulated into further contact with the endoscope surfaces.
Preferably the rinsing solution includes a disinfectant whereby pipe work leading to the enclosure may be automatically disinfected in use.
Preferably the cleaning, rinsing, disinfection and volatile liquids which are required for the cleaning, rinsing, disinfection and purging phases respectively are held in closed containers. The closed containers are preferably connected to the enclosure via control valves operable under the control of a programme controller.
Conveniently a plurality of instruments are cleaned in a plurality of like enclosures each operable to accommodate one or more instruments in use and each enclosure being associated with a respective programme controller whereby cleaning and disinfecting sequence is performed in the respective enclosures under the independent control of the respective programme controllers.
In accordance with the present invention there
REFERENCES:
patent: 4281674 (1981-08-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 4784790 (1988-11-01), Disch et al.
Parker George C.
Ross Ian M.
Douyon Lorna M.
Keymed (Medical & Industrial Equipment) Limited
Lieberman Paul
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