3M Announces the Launch of 3M Attest Rapid 5 Steam Plus Test Pack to Monitor Implant Loads in Accordance with New AAMI ST79 Guidelines

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- 3M announces the addition of the 3M Attest Rapid 5 Steam Plus Test Pack to its family of sterilization monitoring products. The new test pack is designed for use in monitoring steam-sterilized implant loads and contains both a rapid readout biological indicator (BI) and a Class 5 integrating indicator. The new Attest Rapid 5 Test Pack is launched in support of a recommended practice for steam sterilization recently published by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), ANSI/AAMI ST79:2006, which calls for all loads containing implants to be monitored with a process challenge device (PCD) containing a BI and a Class 5 integrating indicator or a PCD containing a BI and an enzyme-only indicator.  

The Attest Rapid 5 Test Pack is a PCD that provides fast, reliable results, reducing quarantine time. The test pack includes the 3M Attest 1292 Rapid Readout Biological Indicator (BI) that provides results in three hours, compared to the 24-hour results of conventional BIs. This three-hour result time makes it easier for customers to quarantine every implant load until the BI result is available, as industry guidelines recommend.  The Test Pack also includes the 3M Comply (SteriGage) moving front Class 5 integrating indicator, which provides immediate results and does not require color interpretation. 

 Because the sterilization process is so essential to the effort of reducing infections in hospitals, we believe it is important to sterilize to the highest standard possible, said Al Balazovic, marketing manager for 3M Health Care. The new AAMI ST79 guideline is an important step in this direction, and we are pleased to support compliance to this guideline with the new Attest Rapid 5 Test Pack. With the proprietary rapid readout technology that is part of this test pack, its even easier and faster for our customers to see results from monitoring every implant load.

The new AAMI ST79 guideline represents a consensus effort by the industry to reduce confusion around when and how best to monitor the steam sterilization process.  The new comprehensive guideline combines five recommended practices, ANSI/AAMI ST46, ST42, ST37, ST35 and ST33. To help customers understand the AAMI ST79 guideline and other industry recommendations, 3M Sterilization Assurance recently launched the Attest Sterile U Network. This educational resource offers free CDs, learning materials, technical support, in-service visits and CE credits. Customers can request educational materials by contacting their local 3M sales representative. 

Source: 3M Health Care