Innovative Sterilizer Cycles Surgical Instruments in Just 6 Minutes

An ultrafast surgical instrument resterilization system could lower the overall cost of care by preventing infections resulting from surgery in large healthcare facilities, military field hospitals, and ambulatory surgical centers.

The Germgard Ozone resterilization system's six-minute total cycle time is much shorter than for hot steam sterilization or any other room-temperature, gas sterilant process, due to an innovative approach that utilizes ozone, a proven sterilant for centralized instrument sterilization. The ability to inactivate 99.9999% of all pathogens, including spores, with room temperature techniques in just six minutes contributes to reduce instrument damage and enhance inventory turnaround, two critical considerations for operational efficiency. The instruments to be sterilized are placed in a single pouch or multi instrument kit, which is then sealed, becoming impervious to pathogens or gas flow. Ozone at a very high concentration is then continuously created from dry oxygen, and is maintained within the single instrument pouch or the kit. The sterilized instrument is available immediately upon termination of the sterilization process or can remain in the sterile pouch or kit until needed; no ozone leaves the sealed pouch, and the ozone itself is destroyed before the pouch or kit is opened. There is no handling or instrument exposure until used.

Potential applications of the system is for use in doctors and dentists offices, small surgical centers, military field hospitals, and emergency services, since the unit is smaller than conventional autoclave systems and overall is less expensive. The Germgard Ozone resterilization system is a product of Germgard Lighting (Dover, NJ, USA), and still requires an efficacy prove-in for premarket clearance in the United States by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"Deployment of our efficacious, easy-to-use, and ultrafast sterilization products will be one of the least expensive, quickest to implement, and most effective means for healthcare facilities to immediately lower operating costs and properly protect patients undergoing surgery," said Eugene Gordon, CEO of Germgard. "Commercialization and implementation of this solution will positively impact infection prevention and resolve operational cost tradeoffs facing hospital CEOs."

Ozone generally requires a short contact time for complete disinfection by effectively oxidizing a variety of water borne contaminants, without leaving an undesirable residual or adding to total dissolved solids (TDS) levels. The ozone is manufactured using a high frequency electrical charge or a specific ultraviolet light, which is applied to dried air, oxygen-enriched air, or dry oxygen for maximum ozone output. During the generation process, oxygen molecules (O2) disassociate and reassemble as ozone (O3). The ozone is then drawn into the water, killing any bacteria, viruses, or mold spores that it contacts. With a half-life of approximately 20 minutes, ozone then reverts back to pure oxygen.

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