Cleaning Validation of Reusable Medical Devices: An Overview of Issues in Designing, Testing, and Labeling of Reusable Devices

Reusable medical devices have been utilized in the delivery of medical care for well over a hundred years. Especially over the last century, devices have become increasingly more complex because advances in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine have led to more sophisticated designs. As designs become more complex, the process of adequately cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing these instruments has become more complex as well. ¢e focus of this chapter is to address the validation of cleaning processes for reusable medical devices.