Professional paper
Prion decontamination method
M. Jung
A. Pana
Abstract
Autoclaving is the method most frequently used for the decontamination of prion infected medical devices alone or in combination with NaOH or chemicals. Our proposal is the simultaneous autoclaving in 0.1N NaOH for 18 minutes at 134 °C; it is considerably more rigorous than autoclaving in water or in porous autoclaves under identical pressure conditions as practiced in Europe (first Great Britain 1986, Swiss law 2003). It is less harmful as 1N solution and completely harmless for the environement and autoclave including the lowest costs for the hospital. Devices must immediately immersed in 0.1N NaOH (or other) contained in autoclavable polypropylene pans (pp) to avoid dessication. Dried instruments cannot be decontaminated. Instruments are then manually transferred to the autoclave (together with the fluid) to immerse instruments. Autoclaving process is for 2.5-3 hours. Finally, pans can also be autoclaved (stapled) under the same condition.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
12757
URI
Publication date:
25.5.2005.
Visits: 2.126 *