Transformações ocorridas no tecido de algodão utilizado como embalagem no processo de esterilização de materiais : um estudo de caso

Abstract

Currently there are two types of packages that can be used in the sterilization process of medical articles: disposable and can be reused for several processes, the latter are made of cotton fabric. This study aimed to analyze the changes that occurred in the double fields of cotton, while housing for sterilization of materials and instruments used in surgical and ambulatory interventions such as subsidies to establish the impact on the cost of using cotton fabric in relation to disposable packaging. The importance of this topic is justified because the infection rates and infection in outpatient clinical and hospital environments have always been objects of concern among administrators, physicians and health teams. And, the relationship between the cost of the use of disposable wrappings and tissue is not always measured as it depends on local factors. It should be noted that, worn or damaged wrappers can compromise aesthetization of objects, that is, be a source of contamination of patients and professionals involved. So for this work nine pieces of cotton fabric used as casing for surgical instruments and outpatient treatments were subjected to 65 sessions of use and sterilizations in the Basic Unit Central Health of Nova Prata/RS. Among the successive use and sterilization sessions, tissue samples were taken and observed the integrity of the plot and wires, by scanning electron microscopy. In order to check the effect of the sterilization process in the resistance of the fabric, samples were subjected to tensile strength and elongation tests. Besides, thickness measurements, weight, and yarn counts are used to classify tissues. Thus, it was possible to identify that there is a difference in the behavior of cotton fabric samples, not only between manufacturers, but also between the samples produced by each manufacturer. It can be concluded at the end of the research that the use of disposable packaging is more advantageous than the use of cotton fabric as your cycle is 24.7% more economical.