Infectious diseases and the anaesthetist

The methods of dealing with various items of anaesthetic equipment in order to assure a fresh supply for each patient have been discussed. These consist of using disposable items, steam sterilization, disinfection by both chemical methods and pasteurization and the use of ethylene oxide sterilization.The use of disposable bacterial and viral filtres to protect ventilators and soda lime cannisters is discussed. These can then be sterilized by …