Packaging materials for sterilization
Medical packaging materials for sterilization are designed to contain medical products before sterilization and then maintain the sterility of these products after sterilization until they are used for their intended purpose. The specified packaging materials are intended for single use only.The following requirements apply to hospital sterilization packaging materials:
the sterilizing agent must freely penetrate inside the product packaging and sterilize its contents by an appropriate method
the possibility of penetration of microorganisms into the packaging with products after sterilization is completely excluded
must withstand the impact of the appropriate sterilizing agent, excluding the possibility of damage to the package, while maintaining the appearance (except for the color of the indicators printed on the package)
seams after sterilization must remain airtight
the possibility of penetration into the package with products of undesirable substances from the surface of the package (glue, chemical indicator) during sterilization is completely excluded
packaging makes it easy to either seal or seal the contents
allow safe handling of packaged products after sterilization and removal of the contents of the package without the risk of secondary contamination with microorganisms after sterilization
Rules for packaging products for subsequent sterilization:
before packing products, the packaging is inspected, checking its integrity (damaged packages are not allowed)
to prevent damage to packages with piercing (for example, needles) and cutting (surgical scalpels, scissors, etc.) tools, various protective techniques are used:
products are packed sequentially in two packages
wrap the working parts of the tools with clean gauze or paper towels
Combined packages that do not have an adhesive layer are sealed using heat sealers, including devices for sealing medical materials intended for sterilization. The recommended operating temperature for heat sealing combined packages is 180 - 220°C. The created width of the thermal seam must be at least 8 mm, and the colored polymer film in this area acquires a darker shade, allowing visual control of the integrity of the thermal seam by the uniformity of color.