Nowadays most of the Surgical Instruments are made / manufactured out of stainless steel of appropriate grade, as there are a lot of advantages of doing so. However there are a lot of wrong perceptions about the word "Stainless Steel." As a user you must have experienced problems of CORROSION, PITTING, SPOTTING, STAINING etc.of your Stainless Steel instruments.
Apart from " Technical" problem occurring sometimes, there are a lot of other reasons due to which the life of a surgical instrument is reduced substantially.
In order to take better services from the instruments and to ensure that an instrument remains as good as new even after years of use a little more and proper care should be taken at the user's end while handling them. We recommend following simple and easy to implement guidelines to ensure that the instruments last for a longer period and give you best services. Please check the following instructions before putting instruments into service.
ALWAYS Autoclave instruments in distilled water / tap water / soft water, as hard water will leave deposits on the instruments and make joints stiff. If water softener is used it should be used at recommended level as too much may cause discolouration.
ALWAYS Autoclave instruments with ratchets open or else they may break due to unnecessary stress as they are highly tempered.
ALWAYS Use instruments for the purpose for which they are designed.
ALWAYS Handle all instruments gently. Never overstrain drop or misuse them.
ALWAYS Check instruments for damage after use. Clean and decontaminate all instruments in cold or lukewarm water as soon as possible after use as failure to do so may result in the instrument becoming stained and the joints stiff.
ALWAYS Ensure that all instruments are thoroughly dried and lubricated with water-soluble instrument lubricant before being stored.
ALWAYS Pack and store instruments carefully on a piece of cloth or towel with the heavier ones lying at the bottom and the lighter ones on top. Instruments with fine tips should be stored in a case separately.
NEVER Autoclave instruments in hard water.
NEVER Autoclave instruments with their ratchets locked.
NEVER Misuse the instruments or overstrain their joints and ratchets.
NEVER Leave soiled instruments to dry on their own. If it is not possible to clean them immediately after use then soak them in cold water for as short a period as possible.
NEVER "Impact" mark or "etch" instruments as this may lead to failure of the instrument at a later date.
NEVER Use abrasives on the instruments as this will spoil the surface finish and may later on cause discolouration or rusting.
NEVER Store damp instruments. They must be thoroughly dried first.
