Severe cases infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), named by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Feb. 11, 2020, tend to present a hypercatabolic state because of severe systemic consumption, and are susceptible to stress ulcers and even life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment constitute an irreplaceable part in the handling of severe COVID-19 cases. Endoscopes, as reusable precision instruments with complicated structures, require more techniques than other medical devices in cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and other reprocessing procedures. From 2016 to 2019, health care-acquired infection caused by improper endoscope reprocessing has always been among the top 5 on the list of top 10 health technology hazards issued by the Emergency Care Research Institute. Considering the highly infective nature of COVID-19 and the potential aerosol contamination therefrom, it is of pivotal significance to ensure that endoscopes are strictly reprocessed between uses. In accordance with the national standard "Regulation for Cleaning and Disinfection Technique of Flexible Endoscope (WS507-2016)," we improved the workflow of endoscope reprocessing including the selection of chemicals in an effort to ensure quality control throughout the clinical management towards COVID-19 patients. Based on the experience we attained from the 12 severe COVID-19 cases in our hospital who underwent endoscopy 23 times in total, the article provides an improved version of endoscopic reprocessing guidelines for bedside endoscopic diagnosis and treatment on COVID-19 patients for reference.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Betacoronavirus ; China ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Disinfection ; methods ; Endoscopes ; virology ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Peracetic Acid ; Personal Protective Equipment ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Sterilization ; methods ; Workflow

We studied the disinfection effect of a new ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer and its utilization on ultrasound probe surfaces. Carrier quantitative germicidal tests, simulated on-the-spot trials, and organic substance influence tests were used to carry out experimental observation. Artificially infected probes were disinfected using the sterilizer or a germicidal lamp for comparison. The total number and types of bacteria were determined and identified. Our results demonstrated the sterilizer had the best disinfection effect among three different disinfection methods in hospital. The sterilizer has been used in a hospital setting for 2 years with no notable damage to the ultrasound probe instrument. It has the advantages of fast disinfection, high disinfection effect, and good compatibility with the ultrasound instrument, worthy of being a promoted application in medical institutions.
Bacterial Infections ; microbiology ; prevention & control ; Colony Count, Microbial ; Cross Infection ; microbiology ; prevention & control ; Disinfection ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Sterilization ; instrumentation ; Surface Properties ; Ultrasonography ; instrumentation ; Ultraviolet Rays

This paper selects the bag-type infusion sets for single use as samples, which are produced by different manufacturers and based on the ethylene oxide sterilization. The ethylene oxide sterilization residues in different parts of samples are detected by colorimetric analysis. Combined the comparison of the ethylene oxide residues testing results in the different parts of the same sample with the actual situation in clinical use, more reasonable sampling positions are found to detect the ethylene oxide sterilization residues. The result of this experiment will play a guiding role in the detection of the actual samples.
Disposable Equipment ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Ethylene Oxide ; analysis

INTRODUCTIONThe Singapore General Hospital Bone Bank, which exclusively stores femoral head allografts, relies on flash sterilisation to prevent allograft-related disease transmission and wound infection. However, intraosseous temperatures during autoclaving may be lower than required to eliminate human immunodeficiency virus, and hepatitis B and C viruses. The aim of this study is to determine the intraosseous temperatures of femoral head allografts during autoclaving and to assess the adequacy of autoclaving in preventing disease transmission.

METHODSSix femoral heads were acquired from patients who underwent hip arthroplasty. The specimens were divided into two groups. The first group underwent flash sterilisation with a sterilisation time of 4 min, while a longer sterilisation time of 22 min was used for the second group.

RESULTSThe highest core temperature in the first group was 130°C, while the core temperatures in the second group plateaued at 133°C for all allografts. In the first group, only smaller allografts maintained temperatures sufficient for the inactivation of the clinically relevant viral pathogens. In contrast, all allografts in the second group were terminally sterilised.

CONCLUSIONThere is an inverse correlation between the size of allografts and intraosseous temperatures achieved during autoclaving. Therefore, we recommend dividing large allografts into smaller pieces, in order to achieve intraosseous temperatures adequate for the elimination of transmissible pathogens during flash sterilisation. Allografts should not be terminally sterilised, as the resulting allografts will become unusable. Despite modern processing techniques, stringent donor selection remains vital in the effort to prevent allograft-related infections. Autoclaving is an economical and efficacious method of preventing allograft-related disease transmission.

Allografts ; Blood-Borne Pathogens ; Bone Transplantation ; instrumentation ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; prevention & control ; Disinfection ; methods ; standards ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Femur Head ; microbiology ; transplantation ; Humans ; Sterilization ; methods ; Temperature

OBJECTIVEAnalyzing the performance of microbial barrier of needleless positive pressure closed connectors.

METHODSThree kinds of brand needleless positive pressure closed connectors were chosen to do the access of microorganisms test.

RESULTSPositive results were detected in the three experimental groups.

CONCLUSIONSSo far, lots of the connectors are not qualified strictly on the market, some improvement is required in the structure design and process.

Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Infusions, Parenteral ; instrumentation ; methods

To analyze the relevant documents of hospital infection administration of acupuncture manipulation with filiform needles and acupuncture aseptic technique with filiform needles. The current situation is that acupuncturists have understanding insufficiency in hospital infection management, lack the sterile concepts and consciousness of disinfection and isolation. Aseptic technic principles aren't strictly followed; disinfection and isolation systems are unsound; sanitary condition of hand of medical staff is unsatisfied; and there is shortness in traditional long filiform needle manipulation. In future, we should explore the new model of hospital infection administration of acupuncture manipulation with filiform needles from implementations of relevant rules of hospital infection administration, establishment and supervision of sound corresponding system, further research of manipulation of filiform needles and formulation of septic technic criterion of filiform needles.
Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; standards ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Disinfection ; standards ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Hospital Administration ; Humans ; Hygiene ; standards ; Needles

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; standards ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hygiene ; standards ; Materials Management, Hospital ; standards ; Moxibustion ; instrumentation ; standards

The initial contamination of femoral head, femoral stem and femoral component producted by seven factories in Beijing is tested, all of the initial contamination values are 580 in total. Then these data is analyzed on statistics. The result indicates that the initial contamination values of three kinds of products according with normal distribution; The initial contamination values have not significant difference between femoral head and femoral component of the same factory; and the season has not significant effect on initial contamination in Beijing. According to the experimental data, the level of initial contamination is undulatory, so the factories should control the initial contamination and maintain the stability of initial contamination.
Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Prostheses and Implants ; classification ; microbiology ; Surgical Equipment ; classification ; microbiology

Introduced the "particles" item testing progress and some notes, using Coulter Multisizer, about medical devices and drugs wrapper, with an expectation of some help for the "particles" item tests in the solution in these area.
Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Equipment and Supplies ; Materials Testing ; instrumentation ; methods ; Particle Size ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo monitor and analyze the arthroplasty related infection situations of Drum Tower Hospital, so as to provide evidences for the prevention of infection after arthroplasty.

METHODSMonitoring of infection situations of nine arthroplasty operations were carried out from July to August in 2008. Five sampling methods were used to monitor the air of the 30 m2 surgery for 4 times. Through the cotton swab sampling, hands of 14 surgeons and 76 samples of surgical instruments (forceps, surgical scissors, retractors) were collected and then for bacterial culture.

RESULTSThe average amount of the total number of free-floating bacteria in our surgery was 88.2 cfu/m3. For the germiculture, 8 samples of hand detections were positive; 11 samples of surgical instruments including those used and unused and exposed at different times were positive.

CONCLUSIONIn the surgery of arthroplasty, all operation personnels should protect the air cleanliness degree, obey the surgical hand-washing rules and diminish the exposed time of aseptic table.

Aged ; Air Microbiology ; Arthroplasty, Replacement ; adverse effects ; Bacterial Infections ; diagnosis ; prevention & control ; Equipment Contamination ; Female ; Hand Disinfection ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged