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Discussion

Sterilizing with Cidex OPA

So I was a surgery nurse for 3 years and have recently went to work for a surgeon in their office, OB-Gyn. When I worked at the hospital we only used a type of cidex to sterilize a few certain scopes. now that Im at the dr's office and doing in office procedures, they are using cidex opa to sterilize their scopes and cords. However the other day the dr suggested putting our other instruments in there as well instead of opening new packages every time. We use vag specs, tenaculum, dialators. Anyone else doing this? Is this entirely effective?

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    From the ASP website:

    What is CIDEX OPA Solution?

    CIDEX OPA Solution is a glutaraldehyde-free (0.55% ortho-phthalaldehyde) solution that provides a rapid 5-minute soak time at a minimum of 25°C in an automatic endoscope reprocessor* and is also an effective choice for manual reprocessing, with a 12-minute cycle at room temperature (20°C). It has excellent tuberculocidal and high-level disinfection capabilities. CIDEX OPA Solution provides rapid, effective disinfection of a wide range of endoscopes and other medical devices.

    So this makes it seem that Cidex is only high-level disinfection, not sterilization.

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    Look up aorn.com they lay out sterilants and what they are acceptable for. For what you are talking about cidex opa and is high level disinfectant ability is acceptable. You can read all the standards on That site though.

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    First. You need to define the tipe of instrumentals to desinfect use the Spalding Clasification. Whit this you define if you can use CIDEX OPA to desinfect it or need to be resterilized. CIDEX OPA just desinfect no sterilize. Check CDC and OSHA. ADitional if you use CIDEX OPA need to use the test strip to asure the quality of the product.

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    The instruments are supposed to be autoclaved. The scopes can be cleaned there because they are probably lady partsl and not considered a sterile area. I have been a surgical tech for 12 years and 6 of those years I have also worked in sterile processing, and the instruments you mentioned above should be autoclaved. If you are using hysterscopes, they should be autoclaved instead of cidex. I have only used cidex to clean cystoscopes, bronchoscopes, endoscopes, and colonoscopes. All GYN scopes were sterilized or EO sterilized. Some private offices like to cut cost, and sometimes do questionable things so just keep a mental note of the infection rate.

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