SELECTING CLEANING MATERIALS IN PRE-CLEANING ENDOSCOPES, ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS, FIBER OPTICS AND CRITICAL MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS – ISSUE NO. 278

We are pleased to have Eleanor Sherman, founder and President of one of our valued suppliers, Technowipe, as our guest columnist this week. Eleanor provides insight into a topic for which she has great passion: In 1991, I was working as an X-ray Technologist and many patients were HIV positive and/or carried Hepatitis. I was worried that bodily fluids were contaminating my equipment with bloodborne pathogens. Improving methods to cleaning critical medical devices and x-ray equipment became my passion, so I founded Technowipe, Inc., manufacturing Technowipe® Lint-Free Wipes. Using Technowipe® Lint-Free Wipes can help insure proper reprocessing and cleaning of scopes, fiber optics, and x-ray equipment including intra-cavity ultrasound transducers required for "all vaginal, rectal and transesophogeal probes that are in contact with bodily fluids/blood or have a remote chance to be in contact with dry/cracked skin and body fluids, including blood requiring high-level disinfecting prior to next patient use." - AUIM.org Official Statement-Approved 4/2/14 I recommend pre-cleaning with low linting, non-abrasive wipes. That will help reduce the risk of adherence of contaminants and may extend the life of many devices. I would consider selecting decontamination pre-cleaning material that include:

• Is the material nonabrasive and low-linting to avoid scratching and/or clogging?
• Can the material withstand friction?
• Will the dispenser damage the material or leave residue behind; such as cardboard dispensers?
• Can the product be stored without getting environmentally contaminated?