We, of course, perform regular maintenance and servicing of instruments, such as sharpening, repairs, and so on. You can simply send the cleaned instruments to our address, and we will assess what to do with them, or whether it is still worthwhile to repair them. However, if you want to extend the life of your instruments, follow the instructions below.
Only noble steels that meet the requirements for surgical instruments are used for the production of the instruments. The correct selection of manufacturing processes, such as surface finishing and heat treatment, guarantees absolute rust resistance for all products. The selection of raw materials complies with international standards. The properties of the material used for the production of the instrument determine its size, strength, and the quality of the product's own material. Even noble steels are not indestructible and are therefore subject to external mechanical, thermal, or chemical influences. To maintain the quality of the instruments as a prerequisite for good use, their professional, continuous care and maintenance are necessary.
To protect them during transport, instruments are shipped in plastic packaging, and if necessary, fitted with protective caps. To prevent the condensation of air humidity, especially during long-term storage, it is generally necessary to remove the instruments from their packaging, and to remove protective caps and foils. They should be stored only in dry warehouses, and all contact with chemicals or corrosive vapors should be avoided. Special care should be given to cutting and micro-instruments. The instruments are supplied non-sterile. All instruments must be sterilized before use.
Before sterilization and before first use, all instruments must be cleaned in the usual way (immersion in a decontamination solution, manual or machine cleaning, rinsing, drying, OPTIMALLY 2x IN A ROW). Sterilization of new instruments without prior cleaning can cause stains, discoloration, or corrosion.
Instruments should be disinfected and cleaned immediately after use. Immediate removal of potential corrosive substances or medications (iodine preparations, mercury compounds, etc.) and organic substances helps prevent early pitting corrosion. Special care should be given to delicate and sensitive instruments, such as micro-instruments or cutting and shearing instruments. Hollow instruments (e.g., endoscopic) should be cleaned in a disassembled state if possible. For cleaning and disinfection, approved cleaning agents and solutions, or non-corrosive disinfectant solutions, must be used in addition to demineralized and chloride-free water.
To prevent damage or breaking off of the working part of the needle holder, we recommend using the following type and size of jaws for the types of material listed below:
| Jaw Type | Size | Suture Material Type |
|---|---|---|
| COARSE | 0,65 mm | 2.0 and larger |
| STANDARD | 0,5 mm | 3.0 and larger |
| FINE | 0,4 mm | 4.0 to 6.0 |
| MICRO | 0,2 - 0,3 mm | 7.0 and finer |
| SMOOTH | 0,2 mm | 7.0 and finer |
The basic prerequisite for perfect cleaning is that the instruments allow cleaning at all. This means that for instruments with a handle, e.g., endoscopic ones, only modularly disassembled instruments are safe for internal and external rinsing. Failure to follow the dosing instructions for cleaning and disinfectant agents can cause corrosion. After chemical cleaning or disinfection, a rinse must be performed to remove any liquid residues of the cleaning solutions. A general cleanliness test is also recommended so that the product can be re-treated if necessary.
For particularly careful treatment of micro-instruments, we recommend using soft plastic brushes or water jet guns. Inappropriate tools (e.g., metal brushes) or overly rough cleaning can break the passivation layer created during production, which protects against corrosion. Delicate instruments can be easily bent by improper or excessive use of force, and cutting instruments can be destroyed.
Here, care must be taken to ensure the instruments are properly placed and completely submerged in the ultrasonic bath. With bulky devices, ultrasonic shadows must not occur.
Machine cleaning or disinfection usually already includes pre-cleaning, cleaning, rinsing, disinfection, and drying of the instruments. Care must be taken to prevent "dead rinsing spots" from forming due to large-area instruments or overcrowded baskets. When placing instruments in mesh trays, damage must be prevented (especially with delicate instruments).
The procedure is the same as for the sterilization of non-sterile implants, see below.
The operator is responsible for the quality of the sterilization media, the technical control of the sterilization devices, and the competence of the personnel performing the sterilization. An integral part of sterilization is pre-sterilization preparation of the implant, control of the sterilization process and sterilized material, and monitoring and recording of the set parameters. Each sterilization cycle is documented.
After unpacking the implant from its transport packaging, perform manual washing with a virucidal agent. The preparations and procedure should be chosen so as not to damage the implant being treated. Rinse with water to remove any residues of the substances used. Before packaging, thoroughly dry, inspect, and discard any damaged implants. Place the implant in packaging that protects against microbial contamination after sterilization. Place the implant in the sterilization chamber in a way that allows for the easiest penetration of the sterilization medium, and the chamber should only be filled to 3/4 of its volume, with the implant not touching the walls.
Sterilization with moist heat (saturated water vapor)
Packaging serves to protect sterilized items from secondary contamination until they are used. It must meet the requirements set out in EN ISO 11607-1.
Packages with sterilized implants are stored either freely with a short expiration date, or with a longer expiration date, protected from dust in a closed cabinet, storage container, drawer, or in another package. For long-term expiration, a double package is used, which is placed in a sealable storage package after sterilization. For storing sterilized implants, a temperature of 15-25°C and 40-60% relative humidity is recommended. Packages with sterilized implants are transported in closed crates or cabinets to protect them from damage and contamination.
