Sterilizing Catheters Microwave

Do not use a microwave oven to sterilize urinary catheters.

Sterilizing catheters microwave. A home microwave oven may be used as a method to sterilize red rubber catheters for reuse with a recommended time of twelve minutes at full power. A standard household 650 w microwave oven was used to sterilize polyethylene catheters of the type used for intermittent self catheterization. Alcohol is the best way to sterilize catheters. Sterilize catheters at home no special equipment required.

The use of microwave ovens to disinfect intermittent use catheters also has been suggested. The effect of microwaving was assessed by determining the resultant colony counts. Microwaves used for sterilization of medical devices have not been fda cleared. Red rubber urinary catheters were inoculated with common clinical uropathogens and were placed in sealed brown paper bags or ziploc plastic freezer bags and microwaved at full power for various timed intervals.

Microwaves are used in medicine for disinfection of soft contact lenses dental instruments dentures milk and urinary catheters for intermittent self cat. Sterilizing without an autoclave biology minute duration. Cdc disinfection sterilization guideline steril methods hicpac microwave. How to sterilize jars using microwave in 60 seconds.

Of our patients almost 75 reported using a microwave oven for sterilization and the majority used 4 to 5 catheters daily. Adequacy of sanitization and storage of catheters for intermittent use after washing and microwave sterilization. Microwaving red rubber catheters for two minutes is a very simple effective and economic way of sterilizing catheters for patients on intermittent self catheterizations madduri said. Bacteria and microwaved at 650 w for periods of 2 4 6 and 8 minutes.

Researchers found that test bacteria e g e. However now the microwave oven is almost as common as the stove in most kitchens with at least 1 microwave oven in 83 of households 18 making it a convenient and practical method of catheter sterilization for many patients. Studies have shown non latex catheters have not become sterile when microwaved. Bleach and betadine solutions may be just as safe but there has not been research done on these solutions.

Repeat sterilization in the microwave oven did not affect the integrity of the catheters or the plastic bags. Studies were conducted utilizing a home microwave oven to sterilize catheters commonly used for intermittent self catherization.