Influence of three packaging materials on wet packaging of super large overweight orthopedic equipment package

OBJECTIVE To compare the application of medical non-woven fabrics, ordinary cotton fabrics and new textiles in the wet package sterilization of super overweight orthopedic instruments, and to evaluate the influence of different packaging materials on the sterilization effect, in order to find the packaging materials that can not only meet the relevant requirements of YY/T 0698 "Final Sterilization Medical Device Packaging Materials", but also improve the packaging materials that are easy to wet after sterilization of super large and overweight device kits.METHODS The orthopaedic surgical instruments larger than 7 kg with different weights of 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 kg were packed with three kinds of packaging materials, respectively. After sterilization by pre-vacuum autoclaved steam, sterilization effect of each package of instruments should be monitored at least three times consecutively. According to the relevant requirements of the "Technical Operation Guide for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Foreign Medical Devices ", after cooling ＞ 30 minutes, the outer layer of the three packaging materials were observed by naked eyes to find whether package was wet or had any water drops. The packages’ weight was compared before and after sterilization by using weighing method to find out whether the weight of the metal instrument sets was ＞0.2%. At the same time, each sterilization package was tested for physical parameters, chemical monitoring, and biological monitoring. RESULTS The sterilization physical parameters, chemical monitoring and biological monitoring of each instrument package were qualified. When instruments weighed 8 kg were packaged with ordinary cotton cloth, the wet package phenomenon appeared, with the wet package rate of 83.33%. When 11 kg instruments were packaged with medical non-woven cloth, the wet package phenomenon appeared, with the wet package rate of 50.00%. However, 13 kg instruments packaged with new textiles did not appear wet package phenomenon. CONCLUSION When three packaging materials are used in super-overweight orthopedic equipment packaging, ordinary cotton cloth easily causes wet packaging, followed by medical non-textile textile packaging material, and new textile has the best effect on preventing wet packaging.