Reinigungs-Desinfektionsgeräte (RDG) – spültechnische Betrachtungen.

The spraying technique used for surgical instruments placed in mesh trays and cleaned in multi-level load carriers of the washer-disinfector cleaning chamber has not changed for decades and is carried out via rotating spray arms with nozzles generating primarily upward directed cleaning water jets. Since the diameter of the nozzle openings along the length of the spray arm is of the same size, the spray pulses delivered to the items being cleaned in the load level are not uniformly standardized. Likewise, the non-regulated rotational speed of the spray arms leads to non-standardized cleaning of the instruments. Since the overlapping surfaces of instruments with box lock are oriented at a vertical angle to the impinging water jets, it is difficult for the cleaning jets to access these surfaces, with access mainly dependent on the reflection jets generated by further loading. Hence, the reliability of the cleaning results is significantly reduced the greater the overlapping surfaces of jointed instruments, but also the smaller the load and therefore the fewer the reflection jets generated. These considerations regarding the spraying technique and the cleaning results highlight the urgent need for action to further develop the spraying technique used in washer-disinfectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]