Low-Foaming Enzyme Cleaner for Surgical Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning methods for surgical, medical, and dental instruments face challenges with dried blood and body fluids, which adhere strongly and are difficult to remove, leading to soiled instruments and obscured visibility during manual cleaning due to foaming or cloudiness in cleaning solutions.
Innovation Solution
A detergent composition comprising low-foaming surfactants, serine endopeptidase proteases, lipase, and optional amylase, along with an enzyme stabilizer, that remains clear at temperatures between 16°C to 40°C, effectively breaking down adherent body fluids and allowing visual inspection during manual or ultrasonic cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ordinary detergents are used to clean dried body fluids from instruments, then the cleaning process becomes complicated and ineffective, but using enzymes like protease breaks down the body fluids and improves solubility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating enzymes (protease, lipase, amylase) that pre-break down dried body fluids, proteins, and organic matter into smaller, more soluble components before the actual washing process. This enzymatic pre-treatment simplifies the overall cleaning process by making contaminants readily removable with standard detergents, eliminating the need for complicated multi-stage cleaning procedures.
2Reliability
If foaming or cloudy wash solution is used during manual cleaning, then the cleaning solution effectively removes soil, but the personnel cannot see the items to be cleaned and their contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully selecting and formulating surfactants and detergents that maintain cleaning effectiveness while controlling foam generation and solution clarity. The specific combination of nonionic and anionic surfactants, along with enzyme stabilizers and chelating agents, creates a wash solution that remains relatively clear with reduced foaming, allowing visual inspection of instruments during manual cleaning while preserving soil-removal capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition provides clear solutions with low foaming, effective cleaning across a broad temperature range, ensuring thorough removal of contaminants and compatibility with medical instruments, including those with metal components, while maintaining clarity and preventing corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
Enzymes like protease break these body fluids down by the chemical reaction called hydrolysis which also breaks down their adhesive bond to the items the fluids are adhered to.
Implementation Method 2
When broken down in this manner, body fluids become more soluble in surfactants and can then be washed away.
Data Source
AI summary
The liquid composition is based on surfactants and enzymes, and is particularly useful for manual cleaning of instruments. In manual and ultrasonic application the composition in use concentration shows low foaming and gives a cleaning solution which is not cloudy at least at a temperature in the range from 16°C to 40°C. In addition, the composition has good cleaning efficacy over a broad temperature range (20 to 55°C) and shows good material compatibility.