Process for cleaning and disinfecting heat and corrosion sensitive medical instruments

US5234832A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien · DE

Inventors

• Karlheinz Disch · Haan, DE
• Klaus Hachmann
• Klaus-Peter Bansemir · Langenfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 17, 1989
• Grant date: Aug 10, 1993
• Expiry date: May 17, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S516/07
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention is a process for cleaning and disinfection of heat and corrosion sensitive medical instruments, particularly endoscopes in which the surfaces of the medical instruments are contacted with a detergent and disinfectant solution. The solution has a pH of from 6 to 8 and contains a low foaming nonionic surfactant, a proteolytic enzyme, a complexing agent, and an aldehyde selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde and aliphatic dialdehydes containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms and, optionally, other standard detergent and disinfectant constituents. The cleaning solution is heated to 55.degree. to 65.degree. C. and kept at that temperature for 1 to 15 minutes during contact with the surfaces of a medical instrument. The surfaces are rinsed at least twice with water, the water being heated to 55.degree. to 65.degree. C. at least in the last rinse cycle and the medical instruments are dried with sterilized hot air at a temperature of 40.degree. to 60.degree. C. Water having a hardness of 3.degree. to 8.degree. Gh is used.