Question
When cleaning probe tips, how often do you need to change the Sporox after the six-hour soak?
Answer
Great question. When you clean the probe tips and then immerse them in Sporox (a sterilant), you're sterilizing the probe tips. According to the manufacturer, you can use and continue reusing the same Sporox solution in that tray for up to 21 days or until the minimum effective concentration (MEC) falls below acceptable levels. Test strips to test MEC are available however given the relatively small amount of organic material usually generated in an audiology practice, changing the solution out every 21 days is valid. Do dispose of it sooner (prior to the 21 day re-use period) if it appears contaminated. Be sure to clean the probe tips prior to immersing them in Sporox. Glutaraldehyde-based products such as Wavicide or Cidex can be re-used in a tray 28 days.
This Ask the Expert question was based on information in the recorded course, Infection Control: Putting the Pedal to the Sterilized Metal. To view the entire course, please click here to register.
A.U. Bankaitis, Ph.D., is Vice President of Oaktree Products, Inc of St. Louis, MO, a multi-line distributor of hearing health care products intended for use in the clinical environment or for resale to patients, currently providing over 3100 items to professionals worldwide. Dr. Bankaitis earned her doctorate from the University of Cincinnati in 1995 where her funded research investigated the effects of varying degrees of HIV on the auditory system. This research naturally led to the area of infection control. Dr. Bankaitis is considered one of the leading experts in this area as it pertains to the hearing industry, authoring numerous infection control publications including the popular text book Infection Control in the Audiology Clinic.
More information about Oaktree Products, Inc. can be found by visiting the Oaktree Web Channel on AudiologyOnline or at www.oaktreeproducts.com. Stay current on the latest happenings at Oaktree on Facebook and Twitter!
