Care and Maintenance of Surgical Instruments: A Practical OR and CSSD Guide

Handling in the operating room

Surgical instrument care begins at the sterile field. Use instruments only for their intended purpose, never as levers or hammers, and keep heavy items away from delicate ones. Wipe blood from jaws and shafts with a moist sponge during the case, and avoid long contact with saline or chlorine-based solutions, which attack stainless steel.

At the end of the case, open ratchets and box locks, place sharp and micro items in protective holders and send the tray to decontamination promptly. If a delay is unavoidable, keep the instruments moist with an approved foam or gel so soil does not dry.

Cleaning: manual and automated

Cleaning removes the soil that shields micro-organisms from sterilisation. Use a neutral or mildly alkaline detergent suited to stainless steel, soft brushes for serrations and lumens, and avoid steel wool and abrasives. Ultrasonic cleaning is effective for jaws, hinges and box locks, and washer-disinfectors give a validated, repeatable result when loaded correctly. See our guide on how to clean surgical instruments.

Rinse thoroughly with water of suitable quality, because residues of detergent and minerals cause spots and corrosion. Dry instruments completely before packing. Document each step as part of your instrument reprocessing steps.

• Open all hinges and disassemble multi-part instruments
• Separate delicate and heavy instruments
• Use detergents approved by the manufacturer
• Rinse with suitable water and dry fully
• Never mix dissimilar metals in the same bath

Inspection and function testing

Inspect every instrument under good light, with magnification where needed. Check jaws for alignment and teeth for wear, hinges for stiffness, tips for burrs, shafts for bends and surfaces for stains or cracks. Remove damaged items from circulation and tag them for repair.

Test function: ratchets should hold, scissors should cut cleanly along their length and needle holders should grip a needle firmly. Scissors need regular checks because blunt edges lead to crushing rather than cutting.

Lubrication, stains and corrosion

Lubricate hinges and moving parts with a water-soluble, steam-permeable instrument milk when your process requires it, and avoid silicone oils or petroleum products that block sterilant contact. Do not over-lubricate.

Stains can be cosmetic or a sign of corrosion. Rust spots, pitting and discolouration warrant investigation of water quality, detergent residues and chemical exposure: see corrosion and stains on instruments.

Maintaining scissors, forceps and clamps

Different instrument families need slightly different attention. REDA's scissors range spans Metzenbaum, Mayo and vascular patterns plus SuperCut saw-edge, tungsten carbide (TC) and titanium micro versions, and sharpness testing and professional resharpening should follow the manufacturer's advice. Fine micro scissors should be stored in individual protectors.

REDA's forceps and clamps include haemostats such as Halsted-Mosquito, Crile, Kocher and Rochester-Pean, as well as atraumatic vascular clamps. Check ratchet closure, jaw alignment and tooth wear, and do not use haemostats to clamp hard objects. The broader general surgery instruments section adds probes, needles, trocars and trays.

Storage, repair and procurement

Store sterile instruments dry, off the floor and away from moisture, in trays or rigid containers that protect them from impact. Keep a repair pathway: see surgical instrument repair in the UAE for options, and track instrument age and repair history.

Beckfinity can advise on instrument sets and sterilisation containers; please request a quote or consultation, and ask for the manufacturer's care instructions with every order.