Workshop Report

The WFHSS held its 4th workshop in Bydgoszcz (Poland) together with the Polish Society for Sterile Supply Managers (PSSSM). The PSSSM did a good job by bringing together over 310 participants and 27 exhibitors. The organisation of the workshop was of a very high level. The workshop started on Thursday noon with a visit to Torun, a medieval city where Copernicus was born. On Thursday evening a lot of participants gathered in the recently renovated City Hotel for a welcome cocktail buffet. On Friday morning the vice-mayor of Bydgoszcz opened the workshop with a welcoming speech. Wim Renders, president of the WFHSS, congratulated the PSSSM for the organisation of the workshop and stressed the role of the Forum in bringing together the members of staff from the sterilization departments and in promoting the exchange of information and ideas between experts.

Dr. Elzbieta Trafny (Dep. of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Military Institute of Hygiene) began the educational part of the workshop with a presentation on biofilms. Some 30 years ago the first announcements on biofilms appeared in scientific literature. She highlighted the development of biofilms and the problems that they cause in medicine and industry.

Biofilms can grow on any kind of biomaterial i.e. on endoscopy equipment and hemodialysis systems. They have a high level of resistance to antimicrobial agents. A quick mechanical cleaning and drying after use is essential in preventing biofilms.

Verona Schmidt (Dr. Weigert) reported on comparative studies regarding alkaline cleaners for automated reprocessing of MD’s and disinfectants based on aldehydes. The focus was to demonstrate the microbiocidal properties of Neodisher Septoclean and its efficacy against prions.

Urs Rosenberg (Borer Chemie) spoke about the practical standard, which defines requirements for and tests of WD’s. There is no general consent about the methods to be used for determining cleaning efficacy during type testing and process validation.

Winfried Michels (Miele) described the Oxivario method. It ensures an optimal cleaning effect even on coagulated residues on tools working at high frequencies. In brief it is a good method for the decontamination of instruments including MIS instruments. He also provided some practical information about how to obtain a better mechanical cleaning.

Ben Sigmund (Medisafe) gave a short overview of the problems that have arisen since instruments have become more and more complex i.e. robot instruments which are very difficult to clean. Special cleaning processes are necessary. Ben showed with the help of video films how these instruments can be cleaned.

Rita Gielen (Belintra) described the various types of carts and baskets that can be used to build a total logistics system in CSSD’s as well as in OR’s. She summed up a number of factors to bear mind when purchasing a new logistics system.

Ulrich Kaiser (GKE) presented new methods to monitor steam penetration into complex medical devices (MD’s) using MD simulators (MDS) and batch monitoring systems (BMS). He explained very clearly what the major problems are when sterilising complex MD’s i.e. non-condensable gases that may block steam penetration in hollow instruments. To secure the sterilisation process of complex MD’s batch monitoring systems and MDS have been introduced. It is mandatory that MDS and BMS are validated on the basis of the instrument or the load configuration. European standards are being developed to provide test methods to prove equivalence between instruments and MDS, load configuration and BMS.

Kurt Voboril (Getinge) gave a lecture about the new WD Getinge developed. This machine saves time, energy and water. All these improvements led to a reduction in CSSD-costs.

To end the first day Ewa Gaudzinska (president of PSSSM) provided an overview of the history of PSSSM which was founded in 1995. It is a voluntary, self-governing, non-profit organisation based on the welfare work of its members. Already in 1998 the society started a quarterly newsletter and has issued 39 editions so far.

On Saturday Nicole Hirth (Bode) opened the series of lectures with a talk about manual cleaning. She stated that there is a difference in guidelines between Europe and the USA. But even guidelines in the European countries differ. She stressed that cleaning before disinfection is important. She also mentioned the interaction of blood with cleaners and disinfectants.

Peter Newson (Steris) posed that the inactivation of prions remains a difficult problem to deal with. He explained how the composition of a detergent contributes to the efficacy of cleaning. Steris has developed a new detergent on which CEA in Paris (France) has carried a large number of tests.

Anke Carter (MMM and president of DGSV) stressed the necessity to introduce quality systems into the CSSD. A quality management system is a dynamic concept that needs to be continuously improved (plan-do-check-act).

Emiel Goovaerts (University Hospital Antwerp) spoke about the Belgian situation in reprocessing endoscopes. Legally in Belgium the pharmacist is responsible for the quality of the reprocessing of all MD’s. In practice this is not the case for endoscopes. The result is that there are a lot of inconsistencies. He presented a possible way to cope with this problem by implementing a centrally steered quality system.

Franz Kies (BHT) dealt with the same subject matter by describing the evolution of the AER’s (automated endoscope reprocessors) and the European standards concerning this tool. The working group has opted for a dual approach; it not only describes the maximum quality standard to be striven for but also retains the alternatives which are used in daily practice.

Stefan Tyski (National Medicine Institute) spoke about the antiseptics that in Poland may be registered as medicinal products, medical devices, biocidal products or cosmetics. This leads to uncertainty and disinformation. However, people involved in purchasing procedures in hospital and healthcare units should know what kinds of products - of what spectrum of antimicrobial activity they need. The new European standard EN 14885:2006 can help users to make the appropriate choice.

In his concluding remarks Wim Renders thanked the organizing committee and more specifically Ewa Gaudzinska and Teresa Salinska for the setting up of this very successful workshop.

Most papers are available on the website of the Forum www.wfhss.com

Walter Accoe

Workshop Photos

...here are some photos taken during the workshop: