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You can remove some contaminants in an autoclave, but others surprisingly survive, and would contaminate the next patient. So stuff like scalpels, for example,
by kuschku 9y ago
You can remove some contaminants in an autoclave, but others surprisingly survive, and would contaminate the next patient.
So stuff like scalpels, for example, is recycled after every single use.
Even such simple things as prions actually already require far more complicated autoclaves than you’d expect.
- CydeWeys 9y agoI would expect prions to be harder to sterilize than bacteria, actually. Prions aren't even alive.
- ciniglio 9y agoThey are much harder to sterilize, and autoclaves don't work. Ideally you'd dispose all tools exposed to prions, but if that's infeasible, the CDC recommends an autoclave in a bath of NaOH. https://www.cdc.gov/prions/cjd/infection-control.html https://www.cdc.gov/prions/cjd/infection-control.html
- taeric 9y agoI would also expect that you want scalpels to be sharp as new on each use. The blade probably doesn't take too kindly to the sterilizing conditions.