Transportation Environment of Contaminated Instruments before Reprocessing

Data collection takes place at the CSSD at Aarhus University Hospital in the autumn and winter of 2022/2023.

According to national and international guidelines for infection control, reprocessing of sterilizable medical equipment is recommended to be initiated as soon as possible after completion of surgery. Furthermore, that transport of surgical instruments between operating theater and reprocessing site occurs in a moist environment. The concern is that a longer holding time and a dry storage environment may result in deterioration of the instruments, i.e., the instruments may not become clean using standard protocols for reprocessing and may consequently be more susceptible to corrosion.

The aim of this study is to develop an evidence-based standardized transportation method of surgical instruments in the hospital for the future.

Funding: Clinic for Neuro-, Head and Orthopaedic Diseases, Aalborg University Hospital:100.000 DKK

(Applied June 2022, answer September 2022) The Climate Fund, North Denmark Region: 364.500 DKK