Steam sterilizers are present in medical facilities of all sizes, such as dental and veterinary clinics. However, in the case of bigger facilities, large-capacity hospital autoclaves are much more suited to handle the amount of waste generated and the number of sterile tools needed for the treatment of patients.
Read on to find out more about the benefits of choosing models with larger capacity chambers!
How does a large-capacity hospital autoclave work?
Regardless of size, the basic principle remains the same for small and large-capacity hospital autoclaves as well. They all use steam at high pressure and high temperatures to sterilize medical tools and waste on-site. It is an ideal way to treat waste right at the site of your hospital, to not have to store hazardous waste and pay for higher transportation costs off-site.
Not to mention that surgical tools, certain elements of Personal Protective Equipment, and other hospital equipment can all be used again and again after sterilization. All without having to worry about spreading infections among patients or medical staff.
Are there any differences in performance among large-capacity hospital autoclaves?
The size and capacity of the chamber are naturally one of the greatest factors to consider when looking for an autoclave sufficient for hospital use. The capacity of larger models can range between 110 and 880 liters, which is ideal for the busiest of facilities that need all the help they can get to handle the sheer amount of medical waste they generate.
Not to mention all the patients that need to be treated with sterile hospital equipment. No surgical tool can be used for any operation unless they went through the sterilization process. Cleaning and disinfecting your tools is only the beginning and doesn’t guarantee that all infectious materials will be eliminated.
Another aspect to consider with large-capacity hospital autoclaves is the model’s type. Compared to gravity cycle models, vacuum autoclaves usually perform much better in hospital settings. This is mainly because of 2 factors that play a large role in the day-to-day activities of hospitals:
- They are much faster at completing a full sterilization cycle. With an automated process, they can complete the drying and cooldown phase as well within 20 minutes.
- They are much more versatile. They can sterilize not only flat hospital tools but textile items, porous loads, and wrapped and unwrapped instruments as well.
The most advanced models are also equipped with extra safety features and can be further customized to suit the needs of your facility.
In summary: why do you need a large-capacity hospital autoclave?
There are many reasons why you should choose a large-capacity hospital autoclave. Large facilities can easily get overwhelmed by the number of tools and amount of waste that needs to be treated if they don’t have an on-site solution that can treat great loads in one go. Still, more medium-sized models also have their place at the site of operating theaters thanks to their more compact builds and serve as ideal backups to bigger models.
