Care & Handling
Medical Tools Instruments last for years
with proper care and handling. Please
use these guidelines for all stainless
steel instruments.
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Brand new instruments should be
cleaned prior to first sterilization.
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Contaminated instruments should be
processed as soon as possible.
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Stubborn protein particles can be
removed with a scrub brush. Never use
steel wool, abrasives or an acid
rinse.
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Open joints on instruments prior to
preparation.
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Do not use multipurpose detergents to
wash or soak instruments. Instead, use
a low-suds detergent specifically
designed for instruments. The pH
should never be higher than 8. When
using ultrasonic, a detergent with a
pH of 6, 7 or 8.
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Lubrication is vital to a long
instrument life.
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Avoid silicone lubricants because they
tend to build up and mix with debris
to clog moving parts, which becomes
almost impossible to remove. Debris
buildup can have a “rust-like”
appearance.
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Rinse your cleaned instruments in
demineralized water. Be sure to remove
all residual cleaning compounds before
sterilization, as they can cause
stains.
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Dry the instrument thoroughly after
rinsing.
Instruments Check- Up
The best time to check an instrument is
after it has been cleaned, lubricated,
and has cooled off. Please check the
following:
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Function Checkup: Splitters, nippers
and scissors must cut cleanly and
close properly. Needle holders and
clamps must engage properly and meet
correctly at the tips. Instruments
which have been dropped or otherwise
damaged should be inspected carefully
for cracking, bent tips or breakage.
Surface Examination: Inspect the
surface for any signs of staining or
other irregularity.
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If you find any staining, investigate
the source and avoid it in the future.
Common Reasons of Stains
Inadequate cleaning, mixing dissimilar
metals, water impurities, unsuitable or
improper preparation and usage of
cleaning and disinfecting or maintenance
agents, Non-Compliance with operating
procedures of cleaning and sterilizing
equipment are the most common reasons
why surgical instruments stain.
Storage
Allow instruments to dry thoroughly
before storing them in a clean, dry
environment. Never store them in an area
where chemicals may emit corrosive
vapors or where temperature and moisture
variations may cause condensation on the
instruments.
Quick Checklist
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Rinse soiled instruments immediately.
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Thoroughly clean before autoclaving.
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Autoclave and sterilize instruments in
an open position.
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Do not pile up or entangle
instruments.
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Follow the recommendations of the
equipment and solution manufacturers.
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Keep instruments properly lubricated.
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Inspect instruments regularly.
Instrument Care & Protection Guide
High grade surgical instruments are
valuable assets. The following guide
will help to protect and enable you to
use them for many years. Medical Tools
stainless steel instruments are made of
corrosion resistant, high grade,
specialty steels which can meet varying
requirements of cutting, clamping,
retracting, chiseling, etc.
One of the special characteristics of
our tools is “Passivation”, Tools'
surface is passivized through an
oxidation process that protects against
corrosion. These layers can be thought
of as an invisible shield. With repeated
use and exposure to air, this oxidation
process continues, making the instrument
even more corrosion resistant with
proper maintenance. Every effort is made
in the manufacturing process to make the
instruments corrosion resistant, however
instruments must be treated properly. If
not, the steel can rust or stain,
reducing the life of the instrument or
even rendering it useless.
Proper Usage
Instruments are designed for a
particular purpose and they should be
used for only that purpose. It is
important to choose the proper
instrument for the task to be
accomplished. For instance, a nail
nipper should not be used to cut wire.
Water
Tap water contains many minerals which
may cause discoloration and staining. We
recommend the use of distilled water for
cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing and
rinsing instruments. To avoid staining,
use a cleaning solution with a pH near
neutral (7). If you do use tap water for
rinsing, please make sure you dry the
instrument thoroughly to avoid stains.
Brand New Instruments
Newly purchased instruments must be
cleaned, lubricated and autoclaved
before use.
Manual Cleaning
When handling instruments be very
careful not to damage their fine tip and
mechanisms. If instruments are exposed
to blood, tissue, saline or any other
foreign matter, these must be rinsed in
warm (not hot) water before these
substances are allowed to dry.
After rinsing, immerse them in a
cleaning solution. A number of compounds
are highly corrosive to stainless steel.
To be on the safe side, rinse and dry
instruments immediately in case they
have come in contact with any
potentially harmful substances. If no
ultrasonic cleaner is available, clean
the instrument very carefully. Pay
particular attention when cleaning the
box-locks, serrations, hinges and all
other hard to reach areas. Use nylon
(not steel) brushes (such as a
toothbrush), and warm (not hot) cleaning
solutions.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
This is by far the most effective and
most efficient way to clean instruments.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation
for mixing the solution and the duration
of the cleaning cycle. Before putting
soiled instruments into an ultrasonic
cleaner, we recommend that they should
be cleaned in a cleaning solution, of
all visible debris clinging to them.
Please observe the following:
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Do not mix dissimilar metals (like
chrome and stainless) in the same
cycle.
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Open all instruments so ratchets and
box-locks are accessible. When
loading, avoid pilling instruments on
top of each other.
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This could damage delicate
instruments.
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After the cycle is finished, remove
the instruments, rinse and dry them
off immediately.
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Also allow them to air dry thoroughly.
Lubrication and Autoclaving
Autoclaving is no substitute for
cleaning. If the instruments are not
thoroughly cleaned beforehand,
irreparable damage may occur during the
autoclaving process. Before autoclaving,
lubricate all instruments with moving
parts, such as box-locks and hinges.
Use surgical lubricants, not industrial
oils. Always sterilize instruments in an
open or unlocked position. DO NOT
overload the chamber and be sure to
stack the instruments carefully so no
damage occurs to the delicate
instruments. It is recommended that the
instruments be wrapped in cloth inside
the container or that a cloth be placed
on the bottom of the pan to absorb
moisture.
The cloth should be pH (7) neutral and
have no residue of detergents. During
and after the drying cycle, avoid
cooling the instrument suddenly. This
can happen when a rush of cold air
enters the autoclave chamber or when the
hot instruments are placed on a cool,
metal surface. If this happens,
condensation can occur which may result
in staining of the instruments.
Cold Sterilization and Disinfection
Prolonged immersion in disinfection or
sterilization solution can be
detrimental to surgical instruments. We
recommend not to immerse the instruments
longer than twenty minutes. To render
the instruments sterile and ready for
use, we recommend the use of an
autoclave cycle. This saves time and is
more gentle to the instruments. Rinse
and dry instruments thoroughly after.
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