Overview on Sterilization Pouch
A sterilization pouch for holding items during sterilization and for storing such items in a sterile condition following sterilization. Sterilization is the process that destroys all forms of microorganisms, including the most resistant bacterial spores.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, all critical and semicritical dental instruments that are heat stable should be sterilized after each use by steam under pressure (autoclaving), dry heat, or chemical vapor. The sterilization pouch is one of the most commonly used packaging bags for instrument sterilization. If you use sterilization pouches, keep in mind that the steam or chemical vapor penetrates through the paper side of the package, not through the clear "plastic" side of the package.
Sterilization is best monitored using a combination of mechanical, chemical and biological indicators. Chemical indicators are placed either inside or outside the sterilization pouch. If the indicator fails to change color, the load should be resterilized. Also, keep in mind that because chemical indicators are sterilizer-specific, they cannot be used interchangeably between steam sterilizers and chemical vapor sterilizers.
For the sterilization guideline, please refer to the CDC guideline on the sterilization of dental instrument.
