COMPACT AUTOCLAVE Tabletop autoclaves create their own steam from an internal reservoir of distilled or deionized water.

Tabletop sterilizers are an ideal solution for small surgery centers and office-based practices, especially for reprocessing very small trays, single instruments and paper-plastic pouches. One common pitfall with this type of autoclave, however, is that its users may be outside the mainstream of sterile processing education. The small units — 2 cubic feet or less of capacity — aren't always operated by trained and qualified reprocessing personnel, and I've visited sites in which they have been routinely misused. When using these devices, it's imperative that you observe sterilization's stringent standards, as set forth by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and other authorities.

For the sake of your instruments' sterility and your patients' safety, keep the following 3 considerations in mind if you're in the market for a compact autoclave.

What am I putting into the sterilizer? Don't even think about purchasing a tabletop sterilizer before you know if it can sterilize the instruments you're using. Do your homework and review the manufacturers' instructions for use for every single one. Don't take the sales rep's word for it.

Each steam-sterilizable instrument has its own specific requirements in terms of time, temperature and cycle type (gravity displacement or pre-vacuum). Does the unit you're considering have the ability to customize cycle settings to meet these parameters, or does it only offer a selection of locked-in cycles? That, not cost or size, should be primary to your purchasing decision.

What might I put into the sterilizer in the future? If your facility or practice adds specialties or expands its service lines, you must re-evaluate your usage of the tabletop sterilizer. While it may accommodate pain management probes, for instance, a wrapped tray of implant plates and screws for the podiatry procedures you're going to host may not be allowable according to their manufacturer's cycle requirements. In that case, you can either invest in a cycle that provides the necessary cycles, or outsource the reprocessing of some of your instruments.

How are we using the sterilizer? There are limits on what you can reprocess in a tabletop sterilizer. These units are validated for specific load sizes, weights and densities, and circumventing these limits, such as by attempting to reprocess an oversized package or by stacking trays, can adversely impact the units' sterilization and drying functions. Be sure to train your staff on their proper use, testing and maintenance in order to comply with best practices.

Midmark Corporation
Ritter M11 UltraClave Automatic Sterilizer
midmark.com
(800) MIDMARK
Pricing: $5,793
FYI: The largest member of Midmark's Ritter family of autoclaves, the M11 features an 11-inch by 18-inch chamber to offer the most sterilizing capacity of any standard countertop unit on the market, says the company. The M11 is ideal for reprocessing larger packs and instruments. Pre-programmed controls offer convenience, but self-programmable controls let you customize cycle parameters to meet specific instrument processing needs. A steam-flush pressure pulse air removal system ensures thorough steam penetration, while an automatically opening door delivers a quick drying time. It's easy to observe indicators on an LCD screen at the control panel.

SciCan
StatIM G4 Sterilizers
scican.com
(800) 572-1211
Pricing: $4,445 to $5,145,depending on model
FYI: SciCan's StatIM G4 cassette-chambered autoclaves have been upgraded with contemporary design as well as with network connectivity, providing users the ability to access stored cycle histories and sterilization records — and the units with the ability to communicate with technical service personnel — through the Internet. StatIM's steam technology delivers gentle, reliable sterilization for solid and hollow instruments, wrapped and unwrapped cycles, in minutes with a small amount of water. The pressure pulse method of air removal is particularly effective for lumened or porous devices. A high-resolution LCD touchscreen panel clearly displays cycle information and operational messages.

Tuttnauer USA
EZ Series Fully Automatic Autoclaves
tuttnauerusa.com
(800) 624-5836
Pricing: Not sold directly to end users; price set by each distributor
FYI: Tuttnauer's EZ series of fully automatic autoclaves features contemporary design and one-button operation to fill, sterilize, exhaust and dry. The closed-door drying system circulates HEPA-filtered air in the chamber to maintain sterility and ensure efficient drying of packs and pouches. The EZ10's 10-inch by 19-inch chamber comes with 4 full-size trays and can accommodate 3 full and ?3 half-standard cassettes. The EZ10k Kwiklave, a quick-cycle version, reduces total heat-up time. And the smaller EZ9 has a 9-inch by 18-inch chamber and 3 trays for a 2 full and 2 half-cassette load.