What are Nosocomial Infections and How Can Sterilization Pouches Help Prevent Them?

A Nosocomial Infection is the term for an infection that is acquired as a result of treatment in a hospital or a health care setting.

Unfortunately, many people who seek treatment in medical settings encounter a less-than-sterile environment which puts them at risk for infection.  This risk can be significantly lessened by the use of high quality sterilization pouches.

Estimates vary widely as to how many people are affected by nosocomial infections every year, but most credible estimates are in the millions, with tens of thousands of deaths resulting every year.

The infections strike those who are already immune-compromised so they are in a weakened state and less able to fight these infections off.

The victims of these infections are generally older, or suffer from some type of illness so serious they had to seek treatment, or suffer from some type of chronic ailment, or have been injured in some way.

When they enter a medical environment, they often will require treatment that requires an incision (surgery), or the insertion of a catheter, or even something as simple as a dental treatment.

All of these treatments cause openings to the interior of the body that were not there before. If dangerous and potentially deadly pathogens, such as staph infections, MRSA, cellulitis, or many other conditions, are present, a life threatening infection may result.

That is why it is so vital that instruments used in any surgical or medical procedure should be stored in a sterilization pouch. A sterilization pouch will keep the instruments and tools sealed away in a sterile environment until it is time to use them, so they are not exposed to the many pathogens which are present in the air and on surfaces in environments such as hospitals, nursing homes, dentists’ offices, prisons, psychiatric facilities, dialysis centers, birthing centers, dermatologists’ offices, and other medical treatment centers.

A well designed sterilization pouch will be constructed from medical grade materials and will have heat-sealed rails to ensure that they provide the all important sterile environment necessary for the tools and supplies stored within. These sterilization pouches should also remain impermeable to microorganisms, which ensure that the tools will be sterile when the seal is broken and the tools are removed for use.