Advanced Sterilization Products is a division of the Ethicon Inc. (a Johnson & Johnson Company). They announced in January of 2009 that their STERRAD® CYCLESURE® biological indicator design has been significantly improved. Incubation times have been reduced from 48 hours to only 24. The faster readout results from the tests mean faster turnaround for whole sets of instrument inventories.
ASP engineers responded to specific customer feedback that let them know that faster readout times would require fewer duplicate surgical instrument sets to be purchased. The new STERRAD® CYCLESURE® 24 biological indicators should result in drastically improved efficiency for sterilization departments. They are compatible with all of the company’s low temperature, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma STERRAD® systems. However, they are not validated for use with any non-STERRAD® systems.
Confirmation of the integrity of any sterilization process is important. Biological indicators validate the cleaning procedure from one load to the next. This reveals whether there is a problem. Usually it provides necessary redundancy to establish confidence that equipment is working properly and that personnel know how to operate it. It can help identify whether there is human error introducing potential points for cross-contamination. Such problems can only be fixed once they are identified.
About STERRAD® Systems
This product line includes the following models: STERRAD 50, 100NX, NX, 100S, and 200. These are low temperature hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizer systems with a range of specifications. Each focuses upon the rapid processing of heat and/or moisture sensitive instruments so that they are readily available for use. Simplification in the function of the machine allows for greater productivity for the operator and less chance for human error.
Aeration, ventilation, and other special procedures are not required with this equipment. This becomes a valuable time saver. The by-products of the apparatus are simply ordinary oxygen and water vapor. The method of sterilization is much gentler than either steam or peracetic acid. This keeps sensitive equipment in good condition minimizing damage and repair costs. There are no odors or hazardous emissions associated with this process.
The STERRAD NX is a compact simple plug in device that can be cart mounted for mobility. It rapidly handles general surgical instruments through a 28 minute cycle. Flexible endoscopes only require 38 minutes. It is versatile enough to sterilize a wide range of devices including surgical cameras, batteries, and power drills.
The STERRAD 50 is slightly larger but the turnaround time for instruments is about 45 minutes. This design has been tested by over 250 manufacturers on over 1900 different instruments. Basically this early model provided assurance that the low temperature hydrogen gas plasma system works.
The STERRAD 100NX is a stand-alone unit that is much larger with greater capacity. Cycle times are 47 minutes, but it has greater flexibility for use with a wider variety of instruments.
The STERRAD 100S is even larger with a 55 minute cycle time. It can process 14 loads of critical medical devices in the same amount of time that ethylene oxide systems would normally take to complete a single cycle.
The STERRAD 200 has the greatest capacity (150L). Cycles are 75 minutes in length. One unique feature is a security system that only authorized personnel can operate. It has flexible configurations and a simple color coded touch screen that makes it very simple to operate.
Whether you are interested in low temperature sterilization or high temperature steam autoclaving, our free report can provide valuable information.