A Las Vegas surgery center has reported itself to the Nevada State Health Division, the Southern Nevada Health District and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for improperly disinfecting instruments used in procedures. 

, the staff at Specialty Surgicare of Las Vegas, also known as Specialty Surgery Center, realized during a recent maintenance inspection that the disinfection cycle on the machine that cleaned the scopes used in colonoscopies and upper-endoscopy procedures was set at a time below the manufacturer’s recommendations. 

This comes on the heels of the hepatitis C outbreak at another area endoscopy center earlier in 2008 that prompted some 50,000 patients, physicians and staff to get tested for hepatitis strains B and C, and HIV. Authorities say there is minimal risk to the center’s patients, however. To read the complete news item, 

Sterile Processing

 sterile processing page provides an inside look into the sterile processing (or central supply) department in the hospital where surgical instruments are cleaned, sterilized, and reprocessed in order to disinfect, remove bioburden, and prep for upcoming procedures. Sterile processing applies to not only the knives, scalpels, scissors, forceps, and clamps used in surgery, but also instruments such as endoscopes and duodenoscopes. 

 reports on the latest technology but also on the means to disinfect that technology. Also, the trend toward making more disposable surgical equipment. What does that mean for the sterile processing team?

Las Vegas Center Reports Improper Disinfection Methods