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The shield is a universal symbol of protection. Shields protect their users from harm and defend against invasion by an enemy. In the world of sterile processing, sterile packaging acts as a shield against bacterial invasion, protecting patients from harm. And like any shield, proper selection, care and use ensure that the items being protected remain safe until needed.
Packaging uses
Sterile processing departments sterilize thousands of instruments daily. Each successful sterilization process ensures that bacteria, viruses and other disease-causing agents left on instrumentation have been destroyed. These instruments remain sterile as long as they are not exposed to sources of bacteria or viruses such as counters, hands, and even the air itself. This is where packaging comes into play. Packaging provides a barrier that shields sterile instruments from recontamination after sterilization.
Packaging also serves to organize instrumentation. For example, rigid sterilization containers provide compartments, posts and stringers that help segregate and organize instruments, and smaller pouches can be placed in larger pouches or container systems to manage small components. When used properly, packaging ensures that the organized and packaged instrumentation remains sterile until it is needed.
Types and materials
Packaging is defined in three categories: wraps, pouches and rigid sterilization containers. Each type of packaging has advantages and disadvantages. A clear understanding of packaging pros and cons will help SPD professionals optimize their use of packaging and ensure that sterile devices are delivered each and every time.
Wraps
The simplest of packaging materials is the reusable wrap often referred to as muslin wrap. Muslin wraps are made of cotton and come in various forms. Muslin is a woven material. This means that cotton fibers are intertwined in a pattern resulting in a crisscross of fibers creating a weave. The strength of the fabric comes from the fibers' thickness and the weave pattern. The typical muslin wrap used by medical professionals today is 140-thread count muslin in a variety of sizes and colors that allow color coding of wrapped items.
Muslin wraps require laundering and over time become worn and unusable. As an alternative, non-woven wrap materials are available for wrapping instrument trays. Non-woven wraps serve the same purpose and are used in the same manner with one important difference: these wraps are disposable. Non-woven...