Biological Results up to Three Times Faster

Well-defined and properly monitored cleaning and sterilization practices are vital to achieving infection prevention goals within healthcare facilities. Busy surgery schedules, complex instrument sets and varying manufacturer instructions for use (IFUs) create a challenging environment for sterile processing teams to balance speed and quality. For many facilities, a robust sterilization monitoring quality process includes 3M Attest Biological Indicators. 3M today announced the availability of the new 3M Attest Super Rapid Readout Biological Indicator System for steam sterilization cycles, which offers biological confirmation of a successful instrument sterilization process up to three times faster than previously possible.

“It’s a huge technological milestone with clear efficiency benefits,” states Tushar Kshirsagar, global business director, 3M Sterilization. “With the new, optimized Attest system, BI results are available in about the time it takes to cool a load, and instruments and implants can be released to the OR much sooner.”

A biological indicator (BI) is a self-contained test system containing viable microorganisms providing a defined resistance to a specified sterilization process.^[i] Biological indicators provide direct evidence of sterilization cycle lethality by challenging the process with highly resistant spores. However, this high level of sterility assurance previously required a three-hour incubation period, with some or all loads quarantined until BI results were known. The new Attest Super Rapid Readout system yields three times faster results for pre-vacuum steam sterilization cycles (brown cap), with results available in one hour instead of three hours. For gravity-displacement steam sterilization cycles (blue cap), results are two times faster, available in just 30 minutes, instead of one hour. Comparisons are based on the performance of the 3M Attest Rapid Readout Biological Indicator products.  

By providing fast, accurate results, Attest Super Rapid Readout BIs may help to increase patient safety, make hospitals more efficient, and bring the peace of mind that comes with the confidence of a biological result. Additional benefits of the new system include: 

• Improved speed and efficiency: Faster biological results can increase set turnaround and utilization, helping facilities manage instrument costs and keep the OR on schedule. 
• Reduced need for early release documentation: With faster BI results, implants can be released quickly with the confidence of a negative biological result, potentially reducing frequency of emergency release documentation. 
• Lower risk and severity of recalls: Should a recall occur due to a sterilizer failure, having a faster BI result can improve response time, lessening the severity of the recall. 

New connectivity options: The new 3M Auto-reader 490 can connect to select instrument tracking systems and also offers a custom application allowing BI status to be checked remotely and results to be printed or saved electronically. The new system includes:

Load monitoring for 132°C (270°F) 4-minute and 135°C (275°F) 3-minute Vacuum-Assisted Steam Sterilization cycles 

• 3M Attest Super Rapid Readout Biological Indicator 1492V (brown cap)
• 3M Attest Super Rapid Readout Steam Challenge Pack 1496V
• 3M Attest Super Rapid 5 Steam-Plus Challenge Pack 41482V

Load monitoring for 132°C (270°F) and 135°C (275°F) 3-minute and 10-minute Gravity-Displacement Steam Sterilization cycles

• 3M Attest Super Rapid Readout Biological Indicator 1491 (blue cap) — available later in 2013

Auto-reader for use with all Attest Super Rapid Readout BIs

• 3M Attest Auto-reader 490

“Time is vital in the healthcare industry,” notes Sam Del Toro, CRCST, manager sterile processing department. “3M Attest Super Rapid Readout Biological Indicators provide us with the fastest results, allowing us to safely and reliably monitor every load and consistently provide the high standard of care that our patients expect and deserve.”  

For more information about the 3M Attest Super Rapid Readout Biological Indicator system, please visit go.3M.com/AttestSuperRapidBI. For more information about 3M Infection Prevention solutions, visit 3M.com/infectionprevention.

^{[i] Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation. Comprehensive guide to steam sterilization and sterility assurance in health care facilities. ANSI/AAMI ST79:2010 & A1:2010 & A2:2011 & A3:2013}