CSSD / sterile processing
A reprocessing cycle runs through five stages before an instrument is ready for reuse. This catalog has verified products behind two of them — packaging and sterilization. The other three are described here for context only; we don't carry products for them yet.
The five stages
A short, factual walkthrough of what happens at each stage — not a claim that this catalog covers all of them.
Decontamination & Cleaning
Awaiting dataManual and automated (ultrasonic, washer-disinfector) removal of gross soil and bioburden immediately after use, before any inspection or packaging step.
- First stage after instrument use — delays here increase bioburden and corrosion risk
- Combines manual pre-rinse with automated washer-disinfector cycles per EN ISO 15883
- Ultrasonic cleaning targets hinges, box locks, and lumens before machine washing
- Sets the baseline for every stage that follows — poor cleaning can't be fixed later
Inspection & Assembly
Awaiting dataVisual or magnified inspection for residual soil, damage, and function, then assembly into defined trays or sets against a count sheet.
- Uses magnification and light tables to catch residual soil invisible to the naked eye
- Instruments are checked for function — cutting edges, joints, and locking mechanisms
- Trays are assembled against a defined count sheet to prevent missing instruments
- Damaged or non-functional instruments are pulled before they reach a set
Packaging
VerifiedSelecting and applying the sterile barrier — pouch, reel, wrap, or rigid container — appropriate to the load and the sterilization method that follows.
- Format choice depends on the load: single instruments, full trays, or basins
- Every pack gets an external chemical indicator confirming it went through processing
- Seal integrity is checked visually and, for heat-seal pouches, by peel test
- Feeds directly into the sterilization stage — packaging errors show up there first
Sterilization
VerifiedRunning the validated cycle that actually inactivates microorganisms, with physical, chemical, and biological monitoring on every load.
- Every cycle is monitored with physical, chemical, and biological indicators
- Load configuration affects steam penetration — overpacking a chamber causes failures
- Cycle records are kept for traceability back to the patient the instruments were used on
- The stage this catalog has the most verified product depth behind — steam autoclaves
Storage & Distribution
Awaiting dataMaintaining the sterile barrier from the sterilizer to point of use: event-related shelf life, transport carts, and stock rotation.
- Shelf life is typically event-related rather than a fixed expiration date
- Transport carts and closed storage protect the sterile barrier from damage in transit
- Stock rotation (first-expired, first-out) prevents packaging from aging past its integrity
- Final stage before an instrument reaches the point of use
What's actually live in the catalog
Packaging and sterilization are the two stages this catalog covers with verified products. Decontamination, inspection & assembly, and storage are described above for context — we're not going to pretend to stock washer-disinfectors or storage carts we don't have.
Stage 03 — Packaging
18 verified pouches, reels, and wrap products, plus a 2-step selector matched to your format choice.
Go to the packaging pillarStage 04 — Sterilization
5 verified steam autoclaves, a method selector, and coverage of all 7 sterilization methods.
Go to the sterilization pillarRelated guides
Load configuration: why an overpacked chamber fails a cycle
Steam needs room to move. How trays, pouches, and packs are arranged inside the chamber affects sterilization as much as time and temperature do.
CSSD / Sterile ProcessingCSSD workflow: why one-way flow is the whole design principle
The single rule that shapes every CSSD floor plan — dirty instruments and clean instruments never cross paths, and never share air.
CSSD / Sterile ProcessingFeed water quality for steam autoclaves: why it matters
Ordinary tap water carries minerals a Class B autoclave was never designed to handle. What hard water actually does to a chamber over time — and what to use instead.
CSSD / Sterile ProcessingSizing a tabletop autoclave: chamber volume vs. daily case load
A 5L autoclave and a 24L autoclave are both EN 13060 Class B — the difference that actually matters is how many cycles you'll need to run per day.
CSSD / Sterile ProcessingCycle traceability: what a sterilization record actually needs to show
If an instrument is later linked to an infection, the cycle record is what proves — or fails to prove — that it was properly sterilized. Here's what belongs in it.
CSSD / Sterile ProcessingUltrasonic pre-cleaning before autoclaving: what it does — and doesn't — replace
Ultrasonic cleaning removes soil an autoclave can't. It doesn't sterilize, and it doesn't replace a washer-disinfector. Where it actually fits in the workflow.
Looking for where your reprocessing workflow actually has verified equipment behind it?
See the sterilization pillar