SterilizationQuestion 44 of 100
A surgeon sends a heat-sensitive device with a long narrow lumen and asks whether it can be processed with ethylene oxide. Which statement describes ethylene oxide sterilization?
a.A high-temperature method used as the fastest option for routine metal instruments
b.A liquid immersion method used at the point of use for endoscopes
c.A dry heat method used for oils, powders, and petroleum-based products
d.A low-temperature gas method used for heat-sensitive and moisture-sensitive devices, including many long or narrow lumens
Explanation
Ethylene oxide sterilizes at low temperature and penetrates well, which makes it valuable for delicate electronics, plastics, and devices with long narrow lumens that other low-temperature methods cannot handle. Its drawbacks are a long total cycle including mandatory aeration and significant worker safety and environmental controls. Dry heat is the method used for oils and powders, and liquid chemical sterilants are the point-of-use immersion option.
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Related questions on this topic
- Immediate-use steam sterilization (IUSS) is requested for a single dropped instrument during a case. Which statement is correct?
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- A typical IUSS gravity cycle for nonporous metal instruments only is 270 degrees F (132 degrees C) for 3 minutes. What changes when the item is porous, cannulated, or has a lumen?
- Why must every ethylene oxide load undergo an aeration phase before items are released?
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- What are the byproducts of a hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization cycle, and what does this mean operationally?
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