Dry hot air: is it a reliable method of disinfection for urological endoscopes? Preliminary study.

Objectives: To evaluate dry hot air effect as a reliable method of disinfection of urological endoscopes.

Methods: Two groups of urological endoscopic instruments (2 cystoscopic sheaths, 2 bridges, and 2 working elements of resectoscope and urethrotome for each group), after being sterilized by full immersion in 2% glutaraldehyde solution for 10 hours, were contaminated by immersion in suspensions of Staphylococcus saprophyticus (3 x 10(3) CFU/mL), Escherichia coli (28 x 10(2) CFU/mL), and Candida albicans (27 x 10(2) CFU/mL). Group I was exposed to disinfection by full immersion in 2% glutaraldehyde solution for 20 minutes.