Vasectomy instruments are most likely to sustain damage during cleaning. It is therefore important that they be cleaned by an experienced handler of instruments using the following recommended steps::............................................................................................................................

1. Instruments should be cleaned immediately after each use.

2. Rinse the instruments under warm running water to remove all blood, tissue, and body fluids from surgery.

3. Briefly soak the instruments in an hemolytic enzyme solution such as HaemoSol. Be certain that only neutral pH (i.e., 7.0) solutions or detergents are used. Low pH detergents, if not fully rinsed off after cleaning, will corrode the protective surface of the stainless steel. High pH detergents will corrode or cause "browning" of the instruments that may impair instrument function.

4. If needed, a soft nylon brush or toothbrush may be used to brush away stubborn particles remaining from the surgery.

5. After the brief soaking and, if needed, gentle brushing, rinse individual instruments completely under running water. While rinsing, take care to open and close the forceps and hemostats to ensure that the hinge areas are rinsed as fully as other areas.

6. Carefully place the instruments on clean paper towels to dry. In the case of the surgical hemostats, the fine tips must be placed face-up on the towels to avoid damaging them.

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1. Always follow the manufacturer's operating instructions exactly when using an autoclave to sterilize instruments.

2. If using disposable paper or plastic pouches with individual instruments, be sure to use a wide enough pouch to allow insertion of forceps and hemostats in an open (i.e., unlocked) position.

3. NEVER lock an instrument during autoclaving as this prevents steam from reaching and sterilizing the overlapping metal surfaces. Also, the forceps and hemostats can crack in the hinge areas due to heat expansion during the autoclaving.

4. Take care not to overload the autoclave-- doing so may create "pockets" in the chamber that prevent steam penetration to some instrument surfaces.

5. Place a towel on the bottom of the pan to soak up any excess moisture. IMPORTANT: Be sure that the towels used contain no residual detergent or bleach and have a neutral pH (7.0) if submerged in water. Commercial laundries often use inexpensive, high-pH cleaning agents or bleach and do not properly rinse or neutralize the agents during the final rinse cycle.

6. Following the autoclave cycle and before the dry cycle, unlock the door of the autoclave and open it just a crack (1/2" to 3/4"). Next, run the dry cycle as recommended by the manufacturer. Do not open the door more than this before the dry cycle, as colder room air may enter the chamber and cause condensation on, and staining of, the instruments. IMPORTANT: Omit step 6 if the autoclave is the type that cannot be opened safely between these cycles