5 Tips for Rust Preventions of Surgical Instruments

Maintaining your surgical instruments doesn't have to be more labor than it already is, despite how it can seem. The quality control manager at Peak Surgicals offers his top five tips for maintaining the condition of your surgical inventory.

1) Handling and Storage

The most crucial piece of advice we give to our clients is to use caution when handling surgical instruments, particularly tiny and delicate ones like those used in ophthalmology. Because instruments frequently break when improperly stored, it is essential to ensure that the storage is appropriate for the instrument type. Additionally, it's essential to prevent larger surgical tools from being supported by tray sets of heavier ones.

2) Getting rid of biological waste

Whenever possible, avoid letting blood, debris, or bodily fluids dry on surgical instruments as this can cause staining or even pitting, which can cause the instrument to quickly degrade. You might be shocked at how frequently this is disregarded, despite the fact that it seems obvious.

3) Send your medical equipment for reprocessing as soon as you can.

As we indicated in the previous advice, reprocessing a surgical instrument as soon as you are done using it will ensure that it is rapidly cleaned and sterilized, which is crucial for the longevity and effectiveness of your surgical equipment.

We suggest you to make sure the sterilization and decontamination procedures and tools utilized, including all detergents and water supplies, have been verified and are suitable for the instrument in order to completely comply with the peak surgicals criteria. We strongly advise against ever exceeding the validated load size and never stacking the instruments once they have been removed from the washer.

4) Examination and Testing

By including routine testing and inspection during cleaning, instruments can be made suitable for usage in theatres. We advise you to make sure the instrument is performing properly and is free from damage or missing components.

Check the jaws of forceps and needle holders for damage, make sure they are closing completely, and ensure that all of the teeth and serrations are meshing before using.

The grip of needle holders can be evaluated by inserting a piece of 4/0 suture, closing the needle holder completely, and then pulling the suture to ensure that it doesn't slip.

If the medical supplies are damaged or if you have questions, you can contact us for assistance or repair.

5) Avoid inappropriate usage

Always make sure the appropriate surgical tools are used for the procedure at hand because inappropriate use can jeopardize an instrument's integrity and result in injury.

The best substrate for coating is a smooth, rust-free surface. Prior to sending your part to us, Peak Surgicals suggests taking care of any potential free iron on its surface. Make contact with our technical assistance division. If employing the removal methods internally is not viable, the sales team at peak surgicals can, upon request, provide a quotation for the acid cleaning procedure.