Importance Of Sterilisation And Autoclaves In The Podiatry Industry

Day in day out, professionals in the podiatry industry encounter numerous patients suffering from a variety of conditions related to their feet including bunions, aging feet, corns and calluses, smelly feet, verrucas and dry, cracked feet and much more.

To diagnose and treat these conditions effectively, podiatrists use a variety of reusable instruments.

Critical instruments, i.e. any instruments used to penetrate the skin or enter sterile tissue, must be sterilised after use as any contamination before use may lead to the spread of diseases.

The process of destroying any and all vegetative bacteria, viruses and fungi, as well as any bacterial spores, is referred to as sterilisation.

Simple cleaning is never enough when it comes to the complete destruction of disease-causing germs, microorganisms, as well as the hardier environment resistant spores.

This is where autoclaves come in handy. Simply put, an autoclave is a machine that is designed to kill microorganisms and spores by subjecting them to high temperatures with the help of steam and pressure.

As previously mentioned, autoclaves are the most common sterilisation machines out there, for a number of reasons. Here are some of the main ones:

Unrivalled Microorganism Killing Power

In the right conditions, pressurised steam is capable of killing any microorganism and environment resistant spores.

Autoclaves are designed to create the right conditions and maintain them for the necessary amount of time, to guarantee sterilisation.

Autoclaves usually heat steam to a temperature of about 121 degrees Celsius in a pressurised environment.

The steam is then able to transfer most of this heat energy to anything it comes into contact with, medical instruments in need of sterilisation and any microorganisms therein, practically cooking the germs inside out.

To destroy all microorganisms, the temperature and pressure levels in the autoclave must be maintained for 15 or more minutes.

Maintaining The Integrity Of Instruments

The reusable instruments used by professionals in the podiatry industry are built using different materials.

One of the main reasons why autoclaves are so popular when it comes to sterilisation of various instruments is their ability to maintain the integrity of all materials.

The high pressure and temperature conditions in the machine do not pose any risk of damage to most of the materials, including metal, plastics and rubber, used to make medical instruments.

This saves practitioners from having to replace reusable instruments that would otherwise be damaged by other sterilisation methods sooner than necessary. 

Variety

Different podiatry practices have different sterilisation requirements. This creates the need for autoclaves designed to handle varying numbers of medical instruments.

Benchtop autoclaves come in different sizes, ranging from 8 to 22 litre sterilisation chamber capacities, making it easier for users to find their perfect fit considering their specific needs.

With the right autoclave chamber size, users will always have a sufficient amount of sterile instruments on hand.

Furthermore different units and models come with different sets of features designed to meet the unique needs of users.

Common features include chamber rack and trays, printer, USB connectivity and silent operation among others.

Summary

From derma rollers, razor scrappers, metal nail files to cuticle cutters and microdermabrasion heads among others, professionals in the podiatry industry rely on a variety of reusable instruments that are either used in procedures involving skin penetration or have the ability to puncture the skin.

Ensuring that these instruments are properly sterilised not only prevent the spread of diseases but also helps safeguard the physical wellbeing of clients/patients.

The availability of affordable and highly effective benchtop autoclaves makes it possible for all service providers in the podiatry industry to sterilise their reusable instruments in accordance with legal guidelines/requirements, at all times.

If you are searching for the best autoclave supplier in Australia, then look no further than Medical Equipment Services Australia.