Medical devices (MD) reprocessing is a set of activities essential for healthcare systems response, answering the needs of millions of procedures that are daily worldwide performed and contributing to the prevention of surgical site infections (SSI) and other procedure-related infections, particularly in endoscopy.1,2
The Sterile Processing Department (SPD), also known as the Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), requires high operational standards in order to achieve quality, safety, responsiveness, efficiency and sustainability. Besides according to JCI’s “top 5 most challenging requirements for 2022,” a key focus is on implementing infection prevention protocols for disinfecting and sterilizing medical equipment, devices, and supplies to minimize the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and increase patient safety.3,4
In this new ASP webinar series, Advancing MD Reprocessing: Challenges, Opportunities, Safety & Sustainability, we will focus be on new opportunities and trends in reprocessing that could solve some of the existing challenges, consolidating the future of procedures and processes, aiming higher standards of quality, safety and economic and environmental sustainability.
Central Sterile Supply Departments (CSSDs) are essential to safe medical device reprocessing and infection prevention—but protecting patients also means protecting the professionals who perform this work.4-5
Chemical sterilants used for heat-sensitive devices, including ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide vapor, and peracetic acid, can release hazardous chemical agents that may expose staff to respiratory, neurological, and carcinogenic risks. These emissions make effective ventilation, exposure monitoring, and strict safety practices critical.5,6
International frameworks such as AAMI ST58, ISO standards, and European occupational safety directives provide the guidance needed to ensure both safe sterilization processes and a safer working environment for healthcare professionals.7-14
Updated safety guidance, including AAMI ST58:2024, places increasing emphasis on protecting staff from harmful emissions.
Hospitals that proactively monitor and manage sterilant emissions to better protect their teams, support compliance, and stay prepared for evolving guidance.45
Biofilm formation on reusable medical devices poses a critical challenge for infection prevention and safe reprocessing. These structured microbial communities adhere to device surfaces within a protective matrix, significantly increasing resistance to detergents, disinfectants, and sterilization.15-17
Complex instruments—such as endoscopes, dental handpieces, and lumened or hinged surgical devices—are particularly vulnerable, especially when organic residues, moisture, or delays in reprocessing are present.
18-22
Once established, biofilms can compromise cleaning and disinfection steps, evade routine detection, and persist on device surfaces. Their presence has been linked to ongoing contamination and outbreaks associated with inadequately reprocessed instruments, including infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms—making effective biofilm control a crucial priority for healthcare professionals.23-26
Flexible endoscopes are indispensable in modern diagnosis and therapy, yet their intricate design—featuring internal channels, narrow lumens, and delicate materials—makes effective reprocessing uniquely challenging and prone to residual contamination.26-30
Traditional approaches such as high-level disinfection (HLD) and liquid chemical sterilization (LCS) remain widely used, but their effectiveness is highly dependent on strict protocol adherence (cleaning, drying, storage, and operator technique). 29,31
and may fall short of achieving consistent margin of safety, particularly in the presence of biofilms or residual moisture.14,20
Even potent LCS like peracetic acid require optimal conditions for sporicidal activity, but with limited penetration into structured biofilms and added safety concerns for healthcare workers.21,32
In contrast, low-temperature sterilization technologies, including hydrogen peroxide plasma, after pre-cleaning and cleaning steps, provide a higher margin of microbiological safety with validated sterility assurance for heat-sensitive devices.30 As healthcare systems confront increasing outbreaks linked to multidrug-resistant organisms and endoscope reprocessing failures, these technologies represent a critical step forward in strengthening infection prevention and patient safety. 33-36
Sterilization is vital for patient safety, preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and ensuring high-quality care.
Steam sterilization remains the gold standard for heat-resistant instruments due to its proven efficacy and reliability, while low-temperature methods protect delicate devices, extending their lifespan, and reduce repair needs.37,38
Reusable instruments, when properly processed, cut both costs and carbon emissions compared to single-use alternatives.39
Since sterilization and packaging significantly impact the environmental footprint of surgery, optimizing trays, packaging, and sterilizer efficiency can simultaneously reduce costs and emissions.40
Besides, reprocessing technologies must also take into account economy and sustainability principles in order to support better decision-making. For example, efficient sterilization methods with reduced water and energy consumption mean cost savings and less damage to equipment and the environment, contributing to sustainable healthcare systems and a greener environment.41-45
Advanced Sterilization Products • Gubelstrasse 34, 6300 Zug, Switzerland • www.aspuniversity.com Smart, sustainable sterilization practices thus enhance patient safety, operational efficiency, and healthcare sustainability in one strategic approach.
Implementing best practices in sterilization not only contributes to healthcare sustainability but also supports resilient systems that balance safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship.
By integrating considerations of clinical effectiveness, lifecycle costs, and sustainability, hospitals can design sterilization programs that optimize patient safety while reducing financial and ecological burdens.
In this new webinar series, “Advancing MD Reprocessing: Challenges, Opportunities, Safety & Sustainability”, we will count with renowned experts to address this topics in five sessions:
In this new webinar series, “Advancing MD Reprocessing: Challenges, Opportunities, Safety & Sustainability”, we are proud to announce the following sessions:
Webinar#1 – Personal safety at sterilization department – The impact of the Emissions
Webinar#2 – Biofilms – The Major Threat on MD Reprocessing
Webinar#3 – Transition from HLD & LCS to LTS – Challenges & Opportunities
Webinar#4 – Health Economics and Sustainability in Sterilization Practices
Round table – Advancing MD Reprocessing: Challenges, Opportunities, Safety & Sustainability
As with previous editions, each webinar will feature a keynote speaker and include opportunities for interaction to address any questions.
We invite you to join us on this journey how to Advancing Medical Devices Reprocessing!
Carlos Palos, MD
Consultant in Internal Medicine. Specialist in Intensive Care Medicine.
Certified in Infection Prevention and Rational Use of Antimicrobials by the Portuguese Medical Association.
Fellow of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID).
