A CRITICAL LOOK AT CHEMICAL DISINFECTION OF ANAESTHETIC APPARATUS

Studies were carried out to test the efficacy of disinfection of a previously contami-nated corrugated anaesthetic tube and reservoir bag. Bacteriological swabs and sampling with broth were evaluated as methods of detecting contamination. Gross contamination was detected by broth sampling on occasions when swabbing failed to reveal contamination. The presence of up to 18 % by volume of residual air within the apparatus was detected. A method of ensuring elimination of all air is described and studies showed that disinfection was then complete. Both physical and chemical methods are available for the disinfection of anaesthetic tubing and reser-voir bags, and there have been reports of disinfec-tion of these items by immersion in a variety of disinfectants, including glutaraldehyde (Rittenbur