Resumen

HIDALGO RODRIGUEZ, Roxana et al. El procedimiento de limpieza como garantía del proceso de esterilización. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2002, vol.40, n.3, pp. 176-188. ISSN 1561-3003.

It was proved the need of applying the cleaning procedure as an essential step previous to sterilization. Cardiovascular catheters and of aspiration classified into critical and semicritical items, respectively, and chemically composed of polyvinyl chloride and propylene fluoroethylene (teflon) were used as devices and inoculated with a specific concentration of Bacillus stearothermophylus and subjected later to the cleaning procedure. The qualitative and quantitative analysis was made by spectrophotometric methods and lower levels of reduction of microbial bioburden were observed in devices composed of teflon. As to the action of the tensoactive agents it was obtained a higher reduction (3 log10 ufc/mL) on applying enzimatic detergents. It was demonstrated the efficiency of the cleaning procedure in the reduction of the microbial bioburden in the devices and the release of organic and inorganic pollutants as a guarantee to lower the colony-forming units to levels of 10-6 in the sterilized devices.

Palabras clave : EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES; STERILIZATION [instrumentation]; STERILIZATION [methods]; HEART CATHETERIZATION [instrumentation]; DETERGENTS; SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS.