CLINICAL MEDICINE

Detailed explanation-1: -Critical items, such as surgical instruments and periodontal scalers, are those that penetrate soft tissue or contacts bone, enters into or contacts the vascular or other normally sterile tissue. They have the greatest risk of transmitting infection and should always be sterilized using heat.

Detailed explanation-2: -Medical devices that have contact with sterile body tissues or fluids are considered critical items. These items should be sterile when used because any microbial contamination could result in disease transmission. Such items include surgical instruments, biopsy forceps, and implanted medical devices.

Detailed explanation-3: -Critical instruments or devices “penetrate soft tissue or bone or enter into or contact the bloodstream or other normally sterile tissue” (American Dental Association, Sterilization Statement). Examples include biopsy, periodontal surgery, apical surgery, and implant surgery.

Detailed explanation-4: -Examples of critical devices are surgical equipment, dental instruments, and implants of any sort. These items pose the highest level of risk to the patient if not completely sterilized. TJC defines sterilization as a, “validated process used to render a product free of all forms of viable microorganisms.”