Supplementary cleaning does not remove protein deposits from re-usable laryngeal mask devices.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that supplementary cleaning facilitates removal of protein deposits from the laryngeal mask airway (LMA).

Methods: Twenty previously used Classic) and Flexible LMAs were hand washed, machine washed, dried, autoclaved and then randomly allocated into four groups for supplementary cleaning. In Group A, the dorsal surface was immersed in water and the surface scrubbed with a high-speed rotating brush.

Routine cleaning and autoclaving does not remove protein deposits from reusable laryngeal mask devices.

Unlabelled: We tested the hypothesis that routine cleaning and autoclaving does not remove protein deposits from reusable laryngeal mask airways (LMAs). All previously used classic and flexible LMAs from a single hospital were tested. Each LMA was hand-washed in an enzymatic solution for 3 min, machine-washed with a disinfectant for 14 min at up to 85 degrees C; dried for 30 min at 75 degrees C, packaged in porous film, and autoclaved for 4 min at 134 degrees C.