The expiration date of sterile swabs after opening is usually about 4 hours, but it needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
For example, if the opened swabs, after a relatively formal aseptic operation to remove a few swabs, the rest can be used normally, and as long as the aseptic operation norms, the validity of the corresponding extension, and sometimes even up to the validity of 24 hours.
But if the aseptic operation is not standardized, the rest of the swabs are seriously contaminated after opening, and then it is already invalid. Therefore, it is recommended to always pay attention to aseptic operation when using sterile cotton swabs.
The expiration date of various sterile items
Most of the equipment and items involved in medical treatment need to be sterile, otherwise it is easy to cause infection, and these sterile items also have a certain expiration date. For example, unopened sterile packages, in the period from May 1 to October 1, its validity is one week; in the period from October 1 to May 1 of the following year, its validity is two weeks. In the case of open sterile packets, the expiration date is four hours.
The dry aseptic forceps have an expiration date of four hours, and the wet aseptic forceps have an expiration date of one week. The validity of sterile items packed in textile packaging materials is 7 days, and the validity of sterile items packed in medical packaging nonwovens is 3 months. Paper-plastic packaging bag packaging of sterile items is valid for 6 months; rigid container packaging of sterile items is valid for 6 months.