Disposable Medical Device: Sterile, Reusable or Not?

When it comes to reusing a medical product or disposing it, the healthcare professionals usually recommend single-use medical devices. However, the definition of Disposable Medical Device varies on two categories:

1. Single-use devices for one patient only, and 

2. Disposable medical products that are intended for temporary use by a single person for a limited period of time. 

The hospital products in the first category come sterile i.e., they are sterilized by the manufacturers and then packaged before they are delivered to concerned medical facility, healthcare institute, clinic or nursing homes. They are not intended for reuse or re-sterilization process as they are mostly used for diagnosing, assessing, monitoring, and treating patients. 

Oral and surgical products, for instance, are used for single time. As they come in direct contact with one patient’s blood, radioactivity, infection or tissues and therefore must be disposed to eliminate risk of cross-contamination and spread of diseases. 

Disposable Medical Devices have shorter lifespan and are limited to one patient. The main reason for manufacturing and using disposable products is infection control. Some most common examples include:

1. Internal devices: Syringes, hypodermic needles, suction catheters, tubes, etc.

2. External devices: Drug tests, surgical gloves, bandages and wraps, surgical face masks, and surgical sponges, etc.

They are cost-effective and defined by the FDA organization as single-use, single-patient to maintain contamination-free and hygienic healthcare facility environment. Also, they are meant to reduce time and energy wasted in re-sterilization procedure, as well as, the concerns regarding unsafe re-decontamination or re-disinfection not as effective as the first time that tend to spark hazardous reactions.

Are Disposable Medical Devices Sterile?

As they are meant for single-time use, they come sterile that means they are sterilized by the manufacturers using advance technology, like moist heat (steam) vaporized hydrogen peroxide, radiation or dry heat method. 

Are Disposable Medical Devices Reusable or Not?

They are manufactured with such material, like polycarbonate, that makes it impossible to properly disinfect, sterilize or decontaminate the product, which could possibly be unhygienic and life-threatening if reused and cause cross-contamination.