Labels for sterilisation

 The adhesive we use is characterised by excellent resistance to steam, moisture, heat and pressure. Moreover, it is immune to most of the sterilisation methods used in healthcare. There is no need to secure the label in any additional way.

For patients’ safety, the sterilisation of surgical instruments is crucial. Each time, such instruments have to go through an established procedure integrated into the computer system to get them back into the operating theatre or hospital ward.

Let’s take a look at this process:

• The dirty zone – this is where used instruments are received for sterilisation. They are scanned and pre-washed in the surgical washbasin.
• Clean zone – once the cleaning is done and the washer is unloaded, surgical instruments are verified and packaged for sterilisation.
• Sterile area – once sterilisation is completed, depending on a hospital’s guidelines, instruments are either placed in the storage area located in the sterilisation room or transferred immediately to hospital wards or operating theatre. The dispensing of equipment is managed by a computer system which, using the appropriate labels, knows which instruments have been dispensed and what quantity is currently in and out of the sterilisation storeroom. Labelling also provides control over the expiry date of sterilised packs. This ensures that the right instruments always reach the right recipient. The information provided on the labels on surgical instruments to be sterilised includes: the load number, the steriliser identifier and the date of sterilisation.
• Zone outside the sterilisation room – before being used for a surgical procedure, the instrument packages are scanned. In this way, specific equipment can be linked to a given patient, allowing, e.g. the sterilisation costs of instruments used for the operation to be accounted for.

Before the actual steam sterilisation process in the autoclave the instruments are packaged- according to their type, destination and needs, either in metal containers or in bags made of Tyvek fabric.

Labelling this type of packaging requires the use of a suitable adhesive, which is resistant to prolonged exposure to steam used to sterilise instruments in the autoclave.

The labels we offer will definitely stay in place and be fully legible until the sterilised surgical instrument sets are used again. We are fully aware that in this industry full identification is an absolute must, and our labels make it possible.