Duration of the microbial barrier provided by a woven cotton wrap of surgical instruments sterilized with moist heat Duración de la tela tejida como barrera microbiana en instrumental quirúrgico esterilizado por calor húmedo

Abstract

Introduction: 100% Pima cotton woven fabric has been the most commonly used wrapping material for medical sur­ gical equipment and supplies sterilized with moist heat, due to its maneuverability, greater resistance to tearing than paper, usefulness for heavy equipment and reutilization. Objective: to describe for how long the double Pima cotton wrapping provides an antimocrobial barrier thus maintaining sterility of surgical instruments sterilized by means of moist heat. Methods: a descriptive study case series of 15 packages wrapped in woven material, which underwent a sterilization cycle with moist heat, collecting 105 screening culture samples from different areas of the packages on days O, 5, 10, 15 and 20. Results: no sequential bacterial growth was evidenced on the layers of the sterilized packages along the 20 days of storage. Nine isolated cultures were positive but were unrelated with other areas of the package and were attributable to factors different to barrier mechanisms.