subject: Autoclaves Ensuring Complete Sanitization [print this page] When it comes to health and wellness, autoclaves have found their own stature in the medical industry. The equipment that functions on the basics of a pressure cooker is used to sterilize medical instruments to avoid the spread of infection. Autoclave was first created in 1879 by French microbiologist Charles Chamberlain and today different types of this equipment like vertical autoclave, horizontal autoclave, laboratory autoclave, medical autoclave, downward displacement autoclaves, steam pulsing autoclaves, vacuum pump autoclaves, superatmospheric autoclaves and pharmaceutical autoclaves, among others, are available in the market.
An autoclave, which is usually made of steel, works by heating water in a pressurized environment to create steam. The instruments are then sterilized as they come in contact with the high temperature steam generated, which ensures that most bacteria, spores, viruses and fungi are destroyed. The temperature, pressure and time of operation depend on the degree of sterilization needed. In order to ensure that the instruments have been sterilized perfectly, it is vital to note the temperature and the time that they were held in.
Autoclaves are perfect to sterilize glass, steel and other similar instruments. However, since damp heat is used, instruments made from heat-labile products like several plastics and also paper cannot be sterilized this way. The equipment is also often used to sterilize medical waste prior to disposal in the standard municipal solid waste stream.
Most doctors offices have a small autoclave, similar to the size of a microwave, in their labs, which are used to sterilize small batches of instruments. Hospitals use large autoclaves that can process large numbers of surgical instruments in one cycle. This large autoclave looks similar to a dishwasher.
The instruments are sterilized within relatively short time in an autoclave, using only steam and no reagents. The medical and surgical instruments can thus be reused safely. Hence, autoclaves are also being hailed as environment friendly.
Nevertheless, autoclaves can be hazardous to the person working with it. It is critical to ensure that the autoclaves lid is sealed correctly. If not, the pressure built up inside can blow out with great force, damaging the surroundings. While sterilizing liquids, care must be taken to have adequate head space in the container and to not have it sealed. Liquids also must be cooled slowly after the process is finished.
An autoclave is not only used in medical and dental facilities, but also in tattoo and piercing parlours as well as to manufacture chemicals that require pressure and high heat, such as dyes.
by: Arvind Atcomaart
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