Pitfalls of cleaning controls in ultrasonic washers

Many published data underline the need to clean critical medical devices properly, and Evangelista et al have recently confirmed some of the pitfalls of using automatic washing.1,2 In particular, ultrasonic washing is highly variable in terms of residual protein levels on dental instruments and leads to an approximately 21% reduction in the average microbial load of gastrointestinal surgical instruments.1,2 We agree with the crucial warning from Evangelista et al: “The use of cleaning equipment and solutions must be appropriate, and their inadequate manipulation by users might affect the quality of cleaning, the possibility of relapse, and adverse events related to the use of processed products.”1