What not to do with used hydraulic fluid

[MikeR]

RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- About 3,800 patients at two hospitals run by Duke University Health System were operated on last year with instruments that were washed in hydraulic fluid instead of detergent, hospital regulators said....

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/06/13/dirty.instruments.ap/index.html

 

[srivett]

That really makes me mad. I could go on for hours.

Steve

 

[Pablo]

Now wait a freeeeking minute....you mean in college and later at work we spent a LOT of time making sure our instruments were sterile....and yet when they operate on your azz they wash the knives and shiit in detergent??? Holy krap.

And the stuff was slipery and this went on for weeks......and no they won't hire a quality professional to help them out because he doesn't have "direct experience"......

I'm with Steve......

 

[kenw]

Of course they wash them in detergent, what do you suggest?

 

[reyjay1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by kenw:
Of course they wash them in detergent, what do you suggest?

---

umm, an autoclave perhaps?

 

[Pablo]

kenw - now THAT is funny. You funny man.

Did I mention a rinse in tepid water to remove....some of the....er...chunks?

Seriously....yes a GOOD detergent might be a good prewash treatment, then maybe superheated steam, a strong antimicrobial, followed by an autoclave as reyjay mentions. Also, with all these steps should be some process control or at least old fashioned verification, but it appears nothing at all was done.

I'm sure most of the surgery bills exceeded $100,000US.....I think there is more here than slippery tools! I mean when we get screewed by our medical system, usually the tools aren't slippery!! The scary thing is some people want public health care.......say no more.

 

[kenw]

gotcha!

yes, the detergent would be for the, well, "chunks".....then all that other stuff, but autoclaving and sterilization without getting all theose chucks off first, well, we would have some very sterile but messy tools to work with.....

"The scary thing is some people want public health care.......say no more."

Like public transport = Amtrak?

amen, brother!

 

[Pablo]

another idea = laser or non invasive...

 

[JeepZJ4.0]

The detergent is used in special high temp "dishwashers". Autoclaves use super heated steam but are big and expensive. The new detergent technique is just as effective. A lot of medical instruments today are plastic and if you put them into an autoclave, they melt.

 

[Pablo]

Thanks JeepZJ - I guess it's not effective with hydraulic oil. Is there no verification of cleanliness/sterility?