MELAG MELAtronic 23EN, User Manual, Page: 17 / 55

MELA tronic 23EN
17
4 Sterilization
4.1 Supply with feed water ______________________________________________
The steam sterilizer automatically monitors the availability of cooling water and purified water, as well as the
quality of the distilled / demineralized water before starting a program.
In order to allow an immediate program start and to avoid error messages or interruptions of programs check
before the first sterilization at the start of the working day, that the internal water supply has sufficient water in
the water storage tank. If necessary, refill with water of appropriate quality (see Section 7.4).
Before the first sterilization the quality of the feed water has to be checked by pressing the button „-“ after the
steam sterilizer is switched on. Is the conductivity of the water higher than 65 µS/cm, the feed water has to be
exchanged and fresh purified water has to be filled into the water storage tank.
If the water storage tank is dirty, the water has to be drained and the water storage tank must be cleaned
before refilling the tank with fresh purified feed water (see Section 7.4).
4.2 Preparing instruments for sterilization _________________________________
MELAG - rust-free materials
All parts of the steam sterilizer which come into contact with steam are made on non-rusting materials: the
pressure chamber and the door of stainless steel, steam pipes of Teflon, and screws and magnet-valves of
bronze.
Film rust
The use of these materials means that no parts of the steam sterilizer can initiate rust formation. Where rust
does attack the steam sterilizer or instruments sterilized in it, tests repeatedly show that this has been brought
into the steam sterilizer on instruments (film rust).
Even top-quality stainless steel instruments can form rust if they are not handled properly, e.g. if they are
treated with the wrong chemical cleaning or disinfecting agents.
Preparing items for sterilization
The example of the formation of film rust shows how important it is to prepare items properly before sterilization.
Instruments must be disinfected and cleaned immediately after use in accordance with UVV/VBG 103, or
similarly strict national codes of practice in a disinfectant and / or cleaning solution at the correct concentration
for the correct length of time.
MELAG recommends the use of cleaning aids such as ultrasonic baths, cleaning and maintenance equipment
such as MELAclean as well as thermo-disinfecting devices.
It is essential that the instruments are well cleaned in order to avoid dirt and contamination being separated
from the load in the steam sterilizer and clogging filters, valves, and nozzles. In particular locks, joints, and
hinges must be cleaned thoroughly with a brush before sterilization. No traces of cleaning and disinfecting
agents should be allowed to enter into the sterilization chamber of the steam sterilizer, since this can give
rise to corrosion! The instruments should be rinsed off with demineralized water and then dried off before
being loaded in the steam sterilizer. Instruments must be oiled in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions in order to ensure their long working life.
Brand-new instruments
The cleaning procedures described above must also be followed before sterilizing brand-new instruments.
These often carry small amounts of grease, oil and soiling from the manufacturing process.
PLEASE NOTE: Carefully follow all instructions provided by manufacturers of instruments for the preparation
of their products for first-time sterilization and for subsequent sterilizations.
Reprocessing unwrapped instruments
Unwrapped sterile material loses its sterility on contact with ambient air. If you intend to store your instruments
sterilely, pack them in suitable packaging before sterilization.
4.3 Loading the steam sterilizer _________________________________________
It is of crucial importance for effective sterilization and good drying that the steam sterilizer is loaded properly:
In the appendix you will get information how to load the steam sterilizer.
When loading the steam sterilizer, take account of the following points:
Tray rack
Normally, the steam sterilizer should be used in conjunction with a tray rack, since this ensures that steam
penetration and drying are as good as possible. In exceptional situations (e.g. when using sterilization
containers from other manufacturers), and after consultation with your stockist or with MELAG, the tray rack
can be removed and the container can be placed directly in the steam sterilizer chamber.