Steam sterilization does not require saturated steam

Abstract

The most commonly applied method to sterilize re-usable medical devices in hospitals is steam sterilization. The essential conditions for steam sterilization are derived from sterilization in water. Microbiological experiments in aqueous solutions have been used to calculate various time–temperature combinations to kill viable micro-organisms [1]. In principle, similar conditions can be realized by the presence of condensate of steam. The Medical Research Council (MRC) adapted the time–temperature combinations of Perkins [1] for steam sterilization, but added ‘a further (safety) period’ [2] to allow for ‘deviations in steam quality’.