The field of medicine has enjoyed some major breakthroughs in the last 400 years, opening up many new options and safer medical procedures for doctors and physicians. In the 1600s, Robert Hooke discovered cells, and in the late 1700s, Edward Jenner pioneered vaccines against deadly viruses. By the 1800s, it was discovered that merely washing medical implements rarely killed all the bacteria on them, but sterilization soon became the norm. Germ theory allowed scientists and doctors to recognize the true causes of disease, and make countermeasures against them. Even today, sterilization is essential for any site that practices medicine, from hospitals to vet clinics to tattoo parlor (since tattoo needles pierce the skin). Today, this work is done with autoclaves, electronic devices that use pressurized steam to kill pathogens on medical devices placed inside. Such devices can be bought and sold like any other, and an autoclave for sale may be found from medical wholesalers and secondary sellers alike. Autoclave repair services can also be hired, after an Internet search shows some local repair crews. A search such as “repair Tuttnauer autoclave” may help. When is it time to search for “repair Tuttnauer autoclave” or the like?
What Autoclaves Can Do
Sterilization is essential for running any medical site, and no hospital or vet clinic can operate safely without them. The very idea of sterilization dates back to the mid 1800s, when a French chemist named Louis Pasteur developed the technique. He realized that if he heated medical implements or similar devices to a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, all pathogens would be killed, making a medical implement safe to use. He often did this with fire or boiling water, and the idea took root.
Many years later, boiling water was replaced with modern autoclaves. These devices may be shaped like a toaster oven or a miniature washing machine, with a front door that can be opened and medical devices placed inside. Once an autoclave is closed and turned on, it will issue pressurized steam to efficiently scour and kill all pathogens on the devices inside, from bacteria to viruses to microscopic parasites. After all, it is possible for bloodborne pathogens to survive on an open surface for a week or so, and they must be killed before the device can be used again. An autoclave may pressurize steam to about 30 psi or so, and the temperature may be 250 to 270 degrees Fahrenheit for a thorough job to be done.
Buying and Repairing an Autoclave
These autoclaves can be bought, sold, and repaired like any other. When a hospital or a tattoo parlor is about to open, the staff will find and buy the right wholesale equipment to run it, and a hospital’s staff may look for lab freezers, microscopes, and of course, autoclaves, among other wholesale equipment. Autoclaves come in a variety of brands and shapes and sizes, and a small tattoo parlor may need only one small autoclave while a large hospital may need several. These devices can also be found on the secondary market if need be, and found at a discount price from a reputable seller. Still, the buyer might want to look over the autoclave in person before making a purchase, even for a gently used model.
An autoclave’s owner should test it regularly, and the CDC has suggested that an owner perform weekly spore tests. If pathogens survive a test, then that is unacceptable, and repairs might need to be done. An autoclave may break down or malfunction due to human error, damage, or rough use, and an online search such as “repair Tuttnauer autoclave” may be done to find local repair experts. The owner may search by brand, such as “repair Tuttnauer autoclave,” or enter a more general search if they want to. Repair experts may get the autoclave back in good working order, which is important since no hospital or tattoo parlor can operate safely without sterilization services on hand. Meanwhile, badly damaged or worn out autoclaves might simply be replaced with a new one, and a growing hospital may take this chance to buy a larger model to fit its needs.
