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 | | Cleaning and Disinfection - Transducers and Puncture Attachments
Observe the warnings and cautions in this section when cleaning and disinfecting BK Medical transducers and attachments.Thorough cleaning is essential for successful disinfection and sterilization. Before disinfection, always remove covers, accessories and attachments. Then clean the transducer and puncture attachments thoroughly.
Caution: Use only disinfection methods that are approved for the transducer. Do not use acetone or petroleum-based products on the transducers.
Caution: Never immerse transducers in liquids above 40°C (104°F) because this can damage the housing sealant. Similarly, never leave the transducer immersed in any liquids for more than 15 hours in any 24 hours period; excessive immersion sometimes cause liquids to be absorbed through the housings.
Protecting transducer plugs
When a transducer is fully immersed (including its plug) during disinfection, the internal components of the plug must not get wet. To prevent this, use watertight plug protection devices. See Care, Cleaning and Safety for more information.
Caution: Protect the plug from contact with liquid.
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 | | Immersion - transducers used on intact skin (no puncture)
The instructions below are meant as a guide. They describe the highest level of protocol for this level of disinfection. Always follow the procedures that have been established for your hospital, clinic or institution, as well as any national guidelines.
These procedures are classified by the CDC and the RKI as non-critical. They require transducers to be cleaned and disinfected (in the USA low-level disinfection). |
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11. | Unplug the transducer from the scanner.
Remove any cover and wipe off any gel.
Immediately rinse everything with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F).
Use a suitable cleaning solution (detergent) to wash all parts. (In the USA, this must be an EPA-registered detergent.)
Follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions for concentration and other conditions.
Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F).
Dry with disposable cloth or air dry.
Thoroughly examine all surfaces that have been cleaned and visually inspect the entire device to make sure it is clean.
Use a suitable disinfectant solution to disinfect the transducer. (In the USA, this must be approved by the EPA as a hospital disinfectant. In Germany, it must be a disinfectant approved by the DGHM. See the Transducer Compatibility in Care, Cleanup & Safety)
Rinse off the disinfectant with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F).
Dry with a clean cloth.
Examine the transducer for damage.
To minimize the risk of cross-contamination, you may use a transducer cover when you scan. |
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| | Immersion - transducers used for vaginal or rectal scans (no puncture)
The instructions below are meant as a guide. They describe the highest level of protocol for this level of disinfection. Always follow the procedures that have been established for your hospital, clinic or institution, as well as any national guidelines.
These endocavity procedures are classified by the CDC and the RKI as semi-critical. They require transducers to be cleaned immediately and disinfected (in the USA high-level disinfection). |
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| 1.
2.
3.
4. | Unplug the transducer from the scanner.
Remove any cover and wipe off any gel.
Immediately rinse everything with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F).
Use a suitable cleaning solution (detergent) to wash all parts. (In the USA, this must be an EPA-registered detergent.) Follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions for concentration and other conditions. Use a suitable brush to thoroughly clean any built-in biopsy channels or grooves. |
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| | Caution: Do not stick anything into a water inlet to clean it. Poking something into this hole can damage the water channel inside the transducer. You can clean the water inlet by flushing it with water soon after use, before any foreign matter such as scanning gel has a chance to harden. |
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6. | Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F). Thoroughly flush any channels with water.
Clean with an enzymatic cleaner (recommended by the disinfectant’s supplier) and soft-bristled nail brush to remove proteins. Use a suitable brush to thoroughly clean any built-in biopsy channels or grooves. |
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| | | Caution: Do NOT use a brush on the front face (acoustic surface) of the transducer. |
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8.
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10. | Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F). Thoroughly flush any channels with water.
Dry with a disposable cloth or air dry.
Thoroughly examine all surfaces that have been cleaned and visually inspect the entire device to make sure it is clean.
Use a suitable disinfectant solution to disinfect the transducer. (In the USA, this must be approved by the EPA as a hospital disinfectant. In Germany, it must be a disinfectant approved by the DGHM. See the Transducer Compatibility in Care, Cleaning & Safety.)
Follow the disinfectant manufacturer’s instructions for procedure and immersion times.
Make sure that the solution passes through any built-in biopsy channels or grooves. If necessary, use a suitable brush to make sure there are no air bubbles in the channel. Do not stick anything into the water inlet. |
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13. | Wear sterile gloves and rinse off the disinfectant with sterile water.
Dry with a sterile cloth.
Examine the transducer for damage.
Cover the transducer with a condom or cover when you use it. In Germany, you must use a sterile cover for vaginal scanning. |
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 | | Immersion - transducers used with puncture or intraoperative procedures
The instructions below are meant as a guide. They describe the highest level of protocol for this level of disinfection. Always follow the procedures that have been established for your hospital, clinic or institution, as well as any national guidelines.
These procedures are classified by the CDC and the RKI as critical. They require transducers and puncture attachments to be cleaned immediately and then sterilized. Some BK Medical transducers can be processed using gas or liquid sterilization techniques. See other disinfection and sterilization methods.
If a device cannot withstand being sterilized, the FDA and RKI recognize that disinfection (in the USA high-level disinfection) and the use of a sterile gel and a sterile transducer cover is an accepted method of infection control for ultrasound transducers [2, 3]. Puncture attachments (including all reusable needles and needle guides) must be steam-sterilized (autoclaved). |
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| | 1.
2.
3.
4. | Unplug the transducer from the scanner.
Remove covers, puncture attachments, etc. and wipe off any gel.
Immediately rinse everything with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F) to remove any visible contamination.
Use a suitable cleaning solution (detergent) to wash all parts. (In the USA, this must be an EPA-registered detergent.) Follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions for concentration and other conditions. Use a suitable brush to thoroughly clean any built-in biopsy channels or grooves.
Caution: Do not stick anything into a water inlet to clean it. Poking something into this hole can damage the water channel inside the transducer. You can clean the water inlet by flushing it with water soon after use, before any foreign matter such as scanning gel has a chance to harden. |
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| | 5.
6.
| Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F). Thoroughly flush any channels with water.
Clean with an enzymatic cleaner (recommended by the disinfectant’s supplier) and soft-bristled nail brush to remove proteins. Use a suitable brush to thoroughly clean any built-in biopsy channels or grooves.
Caution: Do NOT use a brush on the front face (acoustic surface) of the transducer. |
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| | 7.
8.
9.
10. | Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F). Thoroughly flush any channels with water.
Dry with a disposable cloth or air dry.
Thoroughly examine all surfaces that have been cleaned and visually inspect the entire device to make sure it is clean.
Use a suitable disinfectant solution to disinfect the transducer.
(In the USA, this must be a chemical germicide cleared by the EPA as a sterilant.
In Germany, it must be a disinfectant approved by the DGHM. See the Transducer Compatibility in Care, Cleaning & Safety.)
Follow the disinfectant manufacturer’s instructions for procedure and immersion times.
Make sure that the solution passes through any built-in biopsy channels or grooves. If necessary, use a suitable brush to make sure there are no air bubbles in the channel. Do not stick anything into the water inlet. |
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| | 11.
12.
13. | Wear sterile gloves and rinse off the disinfectant with sterile water.
Dry with a sterile cloth.
Examine the transducer for damage.
Cover the transducer with a sterile cover (applying sterile gel inside and out) when you use it. |
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 | | Puncture attachments
To avoid cross-contamination, puncture attachments must be cleaned and steam sterilized (autoclaved). In Germany, they must be disinfected before autoclaving, using a disinfectant approved by the DGHM. |
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10. | Remove the puncture attachment from the transducer.
Disassemble the puncture attachment and wipe off any gel.
Immediately rinse everything with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F) to remove any visible contamination.
Use a suitable cleaning solution (detergent) to wash all parts. (In the USA, this must be an EPA-registered detergent.) Follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions for concentration and other conditions. Use a suitable brush to thoroughly clean any built-in biopsy channels or grooves.
Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F). Thoroughly flush any channels with water.
Clean with an enzymatic cleaner (recommended by the disinfectant’s supplier) and soft-bristled nail brush to remove proteins.
Rinse with tap water between 10°C (50°F) and 40°C (104°F). Thoroughly flush any channels with water.
Dry with a disposable cloth or air dry.
Thoroughly examine all surfaces that have been cleaned and visually inspect the entire device to make sure it is clean.
In Germany, use a disinfectant (preferably aldehyde-free) approved by the DGHM to disinfect all parts. BK Medical recommends Korsolex® Plus. Use sterile gloves and rinse with sterile water.
Autoclave (steam sterilize) all parts of the puncture attachment, including reusable needles and needle guides, following the instructions of the autoclave manufacturer. For non-steel parts, the temperature must not exceed 140°C (284°F). |
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| | Other disinfection and sterilization methods
Not all disinfection and sterilization methods are approved for use in all countries. Follow the regulations for your own country.
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| | Download Care, Cleaning & Safety for more information. |