[quote:4d3c5c81db="Course C"]Boiling sterilization:
Needles and other instruments are boiled in water for 30 minutes. This method is easy and effective without any special equipment.
Medicinal sterilization :
Soak the needles in 75% alcohol from 30-60 minutes. Then take them out and wipe off the liquid from the needles with a piece of dry cloth. At the same time, the needle tray and forceps which have directly contacted with the filiform needles should also be sterilized in the same way. Besides, needles used to treat some infectious cases should be sterilized and stored in separate place. [/quote:4d3c5c81db]
Dear Tutor,
It has been a big surprise to me to read this . I am not sure if these methods of needle disinfection (it is not sterilisation, and should not be called that!) are still used in China, but my professional opinion is that this part should be [u:4d3c5c81db]removed[/u:4d3c5c81db] from the text of Course C as misleading! Many studies have shown these methods to be insufficiently effective, and the World Health Organisation [i:4d3c5c81db]Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture[/i:4d3c5c81db], for instance, indicate that "[u:4d3c5c81db]boiling needles in water is not sufficient for sterilization[/u:4d3c5c81db], [u:4d3c5c81db]nor is soaking in alcohol[/u:4d3c5c81db], since these methods [u:4d3c5c81db]do not destroy resistant bacterial spores or certain viruses[/u:4d3c5c81db]". Moreover, even sterilisation in an autoclave does not remove the prion protein that causes, for example, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. Thus, it is basically recommended that only single use, disposable acupuncture needles should now be used on patients. Single use, disposable needles remove the risks of Hepatitis B and C, HIV, and other infections not only for patients, but also for the acupuncturists (occupational safety!) who may contract infections through needle stick injuries when handling needles (that is why the WHO guidelines indicate that "each sterile filiform needle should be used for puncturing once, and once only", even on the same patient).
Best regards.
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:46 am
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