Past, present and future use of low temperature steam/formaldehyde and ethylene oxide sterilisation systems.

The development of medical equipment that cannot adequately be sterilised or disinfected has caused growing concern in recent years. Areas of concern are equipment that is likely to be damaged by normal autoclaving temperatures, and is therefore heat labile, or is so complicated in structure that adequate penetration of chemical disinfectants is unlikely. The need has led to the search for a method that would give adequate penetration of a bacteriocide without the use of excessive temperatures. The penetrative power of gaseous sterilant/disinfectants appears to be the area most likely to fulfill these considerations. Ethylene oxide (Phillips 1949) and Low Temperature Steam, with or without Formaldehyde, have been investigated by various workers.