Water quality requirements for surgical instrument testing
Paper 1: Introduction and Background
This is the first paper, available as a PDF download below, in a series of four reference documents that have been written to investigate water quality requirements for surgical instrument reprocessing. Paper 1 describes the background to this project and the concerns which led to it being investigated. It also clarifies recent changes in guidance in this area. Paper 1 also includes water quality data from hospitals in Wales and some general recommendations about water quality for instrument reprocessing.
Paper 1 - Introduction and background (PDF Download)
Paper 2: The reprocessing of stainless steel instruments
This paper gives specific recommendations and the evidence on which they are based, for the quality characteristics of water to be used for the reprocessing of stainless steel instruments.
Paper 2 - The reprocessing of Stainless Steel instruments (PDF Download)
Paper 3: The reprocessing of heat labile endoscopes
This paper investigates the evidence for the quality characteristics of water to be used for the reprocessing of heat labile endoscopes.
Paper 3 - The reprocessing of heat labile endoscopes (PDF Download)
Paper 4: Reverse osmosis, particulate contamination and effect of reagents on surgical instruments
This paper covers some issues that can have an impact on both stainless steel instruments and heat labile endoscopes. It also includes a general summary of the findings all four papers.