Can a humid storage environment of surgical instruments before reprocessing increase patient safety and durability of instruments?

Background: National and international guidelines recommend reprocessing of medical instruments to commence as soon as possible post-surgery; furthermore, they recommend that transport and storage of surgical instruments postoperatively occurs in a moist, humid atmosphere. The concern is that a dry storage environment results in deterioration of instruments.

Aim: To evaluate whether residual protein or corrosion is associated with storage environment (dry or humid), holding time or number of treatment cycles.

Risk factors of cardiac device infection: Glove contamination during device procedures.

Background: Infections in cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) constitute a serious complication. We sought to identify contamination of gloves before handling the device in primary and replacement CIED procedures.

Methods: Two groups of 30 patients underwent primary CIED implantation or replacement.

Bacterial contamination of surgeons gloves during shunt insertion: a pilot study.

Bacterial infection is a major cause of shunt dysfunction. It is well-known that the majority of pathogenic micro-organisms are low-virulent bacteria normally found on intact skin. Probably shunts become contaminated during surgery either by contact to the patient skin, or contact from contaminated gloves or instruments.