Using Ultrasonic Cleaners to Provide an Effective Sterilization Process

Medical devices, instruments, and equipment designed for repeated use have to be cleaned and sterilized after each patient.

Traditional cleaning usually consists of manual scrubbing and wiping together with steam cleaning. Sterilization then takes place at high temperatures in an autoclave. However, more modern medical devices and tools usually include electronics and other temperature-sensitive components. They may also have interior crevices and complex shapes that are hard to clean. Some devices are fragile and may be damaged by manual cleaning or have delicate coatings that are easily scratched when scrubbed.

Ultrasonic cleaners for medical instruments are the better alternative to traditional cleaning methods. Read the article “Why the Sterilization Process Requires an Ultrasonic Cleaner” by Medicanix. They explain how ultrasonic cleaners clean these instruments effectively while avoiding issues with heat and handling.

But ultrasonic cleaners for medical instruments, by themselves, do not sterilize the parts to be cleaned. Adding disinfectant to the cleaning solution can result in sterile parts. The key to a successful cleaning is using the right ultrasonic cleaner for a specific cleaning application and the right amount of disinfectant for parts that are sterile and completely clean.

Ultrasonic cleaners can gently remove contamination without using heat (depending on the parts to be cleaned). They work by using microscopic cavitation bubbles in the cleaning solution to dislodge contaminants from the underlying surfaces. Ultrasonic waves in the cleaning solution generate the bubbles, which form and collapse in time with the ultrasonic frequency. When they collapse, the bubbles release tiny jets of cleaning solution that hit the parts to be cleaned and wash away the contaminants.

This process takes place wherever cleaning solution is present, even on complex shapes and inside interior crevices, inside tubes, along hinges, and in dead-end holes.

One of the great things about ultrasonic cleaners for medical applications and tools is they can clean gently at room temperature. The cleaning intensity can also be adjusted to match the fragility of the medical parts to be cleaned and temperature-sensitive electronics don’t suffer heat damage.

With ultrasonic cleaners, there’s no need for scrubbing or heating, both of which would otherwise damage fragile and heat-sensitive medical tools and devices. Kaijo’s experience building ultrasonic cleaners, along with their in-house expertise, makes them the best choice for working with medical facilities for their ultrasonic cleaner needs.

Our complete article, Using Ultrasonic Cleaners to Provide an Effective Sterilization Process, explains further. After reading the article, contact Kaijo by email at info@kaijo-shibuya.com or by calling 408-675-5575 if you have questions or would like to set up a free consultation to discuss your ultrasonic cleaner requirements.