Keeping Things Sterile in the Medical Laboratory by Using Disposable Supplies

Medical lab supplies are some of the most highly consumed items in the medical industry. Based on state and federal laws, as well as standard laboratory rules and regulations, all instruments or materials that have come into contact with the patient must be disposed of properly and proper handling of biological wastes must be done properly. The quick and heavy consumption of medical supplies isn't hard to understand considering that these are mainly single-use items.

One of the most relatable examples of medical lab equipment use is the use of a scalpel. Not so long ago, when a scalpel was used on a patient, it was put into an autoclave, along with a lot of other medical tools, and sterilized. These days, such isn't the trend any more. Despite the autoclave being able to keep instruments and tools close to 100% sterile, the industry of medicine has started to become far more strict when it comes to sterilization and disposal. The unfortunate truth is that cross contamination can still occur, no matter how minute or remote the chances are. Among the many disposable medical lab supplies are scalpels with disposable blades, and this is a step towards making things safer and more sterile in the hospital or laboratory.

Cross contamination can occur directly or indirectly, though it is often that case that cross contamination is direct. One prime example of indirect cross contamination can be seen in the use of vials or canisters. Testing will be done on the bodily fluids, excretions, and tissues that are stored and kept in these sterile vials and canisters. If the vials are not sterile enough, it may contain other bodily fluids or tissues which may mix with the present sample and alter test results. Diagnoses may be incorrect and can harbor grave consequences for the patients.

In order to minimize the potential of doing harm to a patient, any tool or instrument that touches a patient is immediately thrown away. Whether it is a scalpel, a tongue depressor, cotton swabs, or syringes, anything that touches bodily fluids  are single use items are treated as biological waste. Hospitals and medical labs should always be well stocked when it comes to these single use items since such large amounts of these are used every day.

When it comes to lab equipment, things are a bit different. These items do not really directly come into contact with biological matter and do not need to be immediately disposed of.  But, constant and thorough sterilization is still always required. Some of these non-disposable items include centrifuges, test tube or vial holders, and the handle of the scalpel.