Decontamination and Reprocessing of Medical Devices for Health-care Facilities

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization and/or Pan American Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. [...] This edition of the manual represents a thorough revision and update of the Sterilization Manual for Health Centers issued by the Pan American Health Organization in 2009 and it is the result of a close collaboration between the IPC Global Unit at the Headquarters of the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and a group on international experts. [...] The Working Group comprises international experts in the sector of reprocessing of medical devices with a vast experience and knowledge related to the legislation, processes and outcomes of well-established sterile services. [...] An error during any of the stages of the decontamination cycle may lead to huge costs, serious suffering and endanger the lives of patients and staff. [...] The following will have to be demonstrated: ñ Certification of the equipment ñ Test of the effectiveness of the equipment ñ Monitoring of the equipment’s operational routine ñ Validation if an alteration in the routine is identified Types of sterilizers and methods of validation Validation of the sterilization process by dry heat Ensure that sterilization by dry heat is adequate, safe and effectiv.