Abstract
Ethylene oxide gas is highly toxic, highly flammable and explosive. It is also carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic and neurotoxic. However, it is an excellent sterilant especially when applied to thermally sensitive medical and hospital materials. The present study aimed to carry out a literature review on ethylene oxide emphasizing its general characteristics, toxicity and comparison with other methods of sterilization. This is a narrative review, in which the retrieval of studies occurred in the databases Lilacs, Scielo, PubMed, Science Direct, Periódicos Capes and Theses Banks and dissertations of the public universities. A total of 126 studies were retrieved, and only 43 were used for the construction of this work. Ethylene oxide is characterized as an excellent physicochemical method, easy to diffuse and efficient against all microorganisms, provided it is correctly used. Compared with other sterilization methods such as autoclaving, PPH and VBTF, ethylene oxide proved to be more efficient, depending on the type of material submitted to the sterilization process. However, due to its capacity to contribute to the development of cancer, mainly the lymphohematopoietic system, its disuse and displeasure by health professionals, health services and companies has become frequent.
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