Best Practices for Sterilizing Laboratory Forceps
When it comes to sterilizing lab forceps, it is crucial to follow proper protocols to maintain a sterile environment and prevent cross-contamination. Like other surgical instruments, laboratory forceps may be sterilized by autoclaving, dry heat, or a chemical sterilant. However, forceps are uniquely designed for many specific functions, and a few pointers here can ensure you get the best results.
NOTE: Always follow the manufacturer's instructions and best practices to ensure effective sterilization and maintenance of your lab forceps.
Lab Supplies Must Haves When You Need Them
In any laboratory, having key lab supplies is almost as important as having the major equipment. Choosing a reputable supplier of these necessary supplies is as important as having quality laboratory supplies when you need them. WPI wants to be your partner in early drug discovery, and we stock a wide variety of lab supplies, many of which can ship the same business day. Having a variety of lab supplies ready to ship makes us a dependable research partner. Here are some of the popular supplies that we keep on hand to meet your needs for your upcoming experiment
VIDEO: Quick Reference for Sterilization of Surgical Instruments
After a good cleaning and disinfection, your surgical instruments may be sterilized using a variety of methods. The chart below shows two common methods, autoclaving and cold sterilization. Sterilization destroys all microbial life. Some chemical sterilants can be used as high level disinfectants (HLD) when used for shorter exposure periods.
VIDEO: Caring for Your Surgical Instrument Investment: Sterilization
In this video, you get some practical tips on sterilizing your surgical instruments and using an autoclave. This video is the fourth in a series of four to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment.
VIDEO: Caring For Your Surgical Instrument Investment: Ultrasonic Cleaning
In this video, you can see how to mechanically clean surgical instruments using an ultrasonic cleaner. This video is loaded with tips. This video is the third in a series of four to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment.
VIDEO: Caring for Your Surgical Instrument Investment: Manual Cleaning
In this video, you can see how to manually clean surgical instruments. It is loaded with tips. This video is the second in a series of four to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment.
VIDEO: Caring for Your Surgical Instrument Investment: Introduction
What's the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing? Let's take a look. This is the first in a series of four videos to discuss some best practices in caring for your surgical instrument investment.
VIDEO: Guide for Ultrasonic Cleaning of Surgical Instruments
Ultrasonic cleaning is the most effective cleaning method for maintaining your surgical instruments, because of its cavitation. Vibrating sound waves create micron-size bubbles in solution that grow as the pressure in the unit changes.
Guide for Manually Cleaning Surgical Instruments
The proper care and handling of surgical instruments is the simplest way to protect your investment and add years to the life of your instruments. Here is a handy infographics showing the steps for proper surgical instrument cleaning.
VIDEO: Stain Guide for Surgical Instruments
Although stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, it can still rust and stain if it is handled improperly. To determine if a discoloration is rust or just a stain, erase the discoloration with a pencil eraser. If there is pitting in the metal under the discoloration, it is corrosion. If the discoloration is removed, it was just a stain.
Sterilizing Plastic Parts and Pieces
Luer kits contain many plastic parts made of a variety of materials. A common question is how to sterilize these parts. Common sterilizing methods include: