Ortho and Sterilization

[funkless]

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Just out of curiosity...

I'm an M2, so I have scant clinical experience to date, but I was wondering about all of the power tools used by neuro and ortho surgerons.

How are they sterilized prior to being brought into the sterile field? I mean, you can't exactly autoclave a drill! (The bits, yes, but not the actual drill.)

 

[BOOURNS]

EtO, usually

 

[Pir8DeacDoc]

are these the things that keep you up at night?


good football game on tonight you should have been watching 😉

 

[nycom914]

Just out of curiosity...

I'm an M2, so I have scant clinical experience to date, but I was wondering about all of the power tools used by neuro and ortho surgerons.

How are they sterilized prior to being brought into the sterile field? I mean, you can't exactly autoclave a drill! (The bits, yes, but not the actual drill.)

The drills "power tools" that I am familiar with are typically pneumatic and I think gas sterilization is used.

 

[funkless]

are these the things that keep you up at night?


good football game on tonight you should have been watching 😉

Vols fan. Football is dead to me, this year.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Just out of curiosity...

I'm an M2, so I have scant clinical experience to date, but I was wondering about all of the power tools used by neuro and ortho surgerons.

How are they sterilized prior to being brought into the sterile field? I mean, you can't exactly autoclave a drill! (The bits, yes, but not the actual drill.)

The drills are covered in sterile plastic, otherwise the surgeon would become contaminated handling the equipment. Many things are one time use and are thrown away. Many of the ortho cases involve hammering with bits into the bone marrow vs a drill. It's very brutal really