The fifth congress of the European Forum for Hospital Sterile Supply (EFHSS) took place in the Altin Yunus hotel in Cesme, Turkey, a beautiful location on the sea. The organisation was in the hands of the Central Sterilization Units Society of Turkey (MSÜD). They did a perfect job.

It was undoubtedly remarkable that more than 500 participants from 34 countries attended the conference. This is solid proof of the further internationalisation of 'sterilization' and of the need for objective information. 27 companies took part in the very successful industrial exhibition.

The welcoming reception immediately created the right mood also because a warm local atmosphere was created by the animated show of a folklore group. The next morning the conference started with a minute of silence in memory of Ataturk and with the playing of the Turkish national anthem, impressive.

The participants were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Adil Esen of the Dokuz Eylul University, Hulya Erbil, the president of MSÜD and by Wim Renders, president of European Forum for Hospital Sterile Supply (EFHSS).

The opening speech was given by Bénédicte Benoit. She succeeded in her speech entitled 'What's new in sterilization ... since Louis Pasteur?' to combine the past and the future of sterilization and in doing so also to provide a general overview of main topics of the congress.

Then Rosemary Simpson, eloquently extended the educative arsenal to e-learning.

We trust that the dissemination of this programme will not be restricted to the United Kingdom but will be much more widely used.

Arzu Sayiner emphasized with justification the importance of and the positive input of a sterilization department concerning infection control and prevention.

The afternoon session was devoted to low temperature sterilization.

Murray Nicholson discussed the possibilities of desinfection and sterilization with vaporised hydrogen peroxide. The practical application for sterilization in the hospital still seems to be some time off.

Adriaan van Sorge proposed a practical approach to the installation of independent monitoring in connection with the Sterrad 100S process. This should ultimately result in the parametric release of this process.

Linda Ashurst provided information about the new EN concerning Low Temperature Steam Formaldehyde sterilization and the - albeit limited - application possibilities in the hospital.

Louis Laurin ended the first day with the announcement of a new product: he introduced a sterilizer with Ozone. If everything goes according to plan it will be launched on the European market in the beginning of 2005. We look forward to the European validation of the process, the data concerning compatibilities and incompatiblities and activity on prions.

The congress dinner, in the evening, enlivened by a great orchestra, lasted until the early hours.

The next morning the congress hall was once again packed.

Decontamination was the overall theme in the morning sessions. Egil Lingaas provided information about his unusual - for the CSSD - bioburden determination of the products which have to be sterilized. He expects that it will gain widespread use in the future.

Toni Zanette discussed how validation and routine monitoring of washer-disinfector processes will be carried out in practice.

Paul Holland talked about risk management in the CSSD while Oonagh Ryan stressed the difficulties concerning the sterilization of instruments with narrow lumina.

During the afternoon session a wide variety of topics was discussed.

Peter Newson dealt with the use of chemical indicators. In pack and load control can be used as perfect complements was his conclusion.

In his presentation Tim Galekop tried to find solutions for wet loads.

Finally René Vis delivered the last paper of the congress. It was about outsourcing.

The key to the future of the CSSD is in the hands of the deparment itself was his conclusion.

A beautiful ending for the conference: by delivering quality the CSSD can live up to its calling: to put a good medical device at the disposal of the medical staff and of the patient.

Till next year in London.

Wim Renders
Bruges, 21 May 2004