Steam quality monitoring as a strategy to reduce wet packs and sterilization failure

Abstract

BackgroundHospital articles processed by steam are widely used in the Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD), responsible for cleaning, disinfection, preparation, and sterilization. Steam sterilization is discussed worldwide, aiming to protect patients, and technical norms help to standardize the entire process. If steam is outside the specified requirements, the sterilization process may fail, resulting in the wet packs at the end of the sterilization cycle. Aim and MethodThe present study evaluated the steam quality at Santa Catarina Hospital (São Paulo, SP, Brazil) from 2016 to 2022. Saturated steam containing non-condensable gases, excess condensate, or even superheat was characterized using the methodology indicated in the European Standard EN285:2015. ResultsFrom 2016 to 2020, qualification tests showed that the saturated steam quality does not achieve standards limit parameters for non-condensable gases and dryness values. Infrastructural maintenance actions were taken to adjust the saturated steam quality. In 2021, the steam quality followed technical standards, and its adequacy was confirmed in 2022. ConclusionThe points developed by the hospital's maintenance department, following the relevant technical guidelines, the adoption of appropriate devices for this purpose, and the correct preventive maintenance in the autoclaves, together with the correct qualification of the equipment and proof of the steam quality contributed to improve the safety of the hospital sterilization process and reduce the incidence of wet packages.