Monitoring of cleaning process

A method for cleaning and sterilizing a soiled medical device comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a cleaning chamber for receiving the soiled device;
• b) providing a soil detector coupled with the cleaning chamber;
• c) introducing a cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber;
• d) cleaning the soiled device in the cleaning chamber
• e) exposing said detector to said cleaning liquid so as to measure the amount of soil removed from the soiled device.
• f) determining that a sufficient amount of the soil has been removed from the soiled device so that the soiled device can be sterilized;
• and
• g) sterilizing the soiled device.

An apparatus for monitoring a cleaning process for a soiled medical instrument, comprising:

• a chamber for receiving and cleaning the instrument;
• an enclosure in controllable fluid communication with the chamber;
• a chemical source coupled to the enclosure for providing a chemical capable of reacting with the soil of the instrument to generate a detectable signal in the enclosure;
• a detector for detecting the signal.

A method for cleaning and sterilizing a soiled medical device comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a cleaning chamber for receiving the soiled device;
• b) providing a chemical source coupled to an enclosure in controllable fluid communication with said cleaning chamber, said source containing a chemical capable of reacting with the soil on said device to generate a detectable signal;
• c) introducing a cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber;
• d) cleaning the soiled device in the cleaning chamber;
• e) releasing the chemical from the source into said enclosure;
• f) detecting the signal generated through reaction between the chemical and soil in said cleaning fluid to determine if a sufficient amount of soil has been removed form the device;
• and
• g) sterilizing the device.

A method for cleaning and sterilizing a soiled medical device comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a chamber for receiving the soiled device;
• b) providing a soiled standard coupled to the chamber;
• c) introducing a cleaning liquid into the chamber;
• d) cleaning the soiled device and the soiled standard;
• e) measuring the amount of soil removed from or remaining on the soiled standard;
• f) determining that a sufficient amount of the soil has been removed from the soiled standard so that the soiled device can be sterilized;
• and
• g) sterilizing the soiled device.

A method for cleaning and sterilizing a soiled medical device comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a cleaning chamber for receiving the soiled device;
• b) introducing a cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber;
• c) cleaning the soiled device in the cleaning chamber;
• d) measuring the amount of soil removed from the soiled device with at least two detectors;
• e) determining that a sufficient amount of the soil has been removed from the soiled device so that the soiled device can be sterilized;
• and
• f) sterilizing the device.