The "Basic Requirements for Nosocomial Infection Management in Primary Medical Institutions" stipulates that ultrasound probes (for ultrasound examination through the skin, mucous membrane, or through the esophagus, vagina, rectum and other body cavities) must be "one for one use and one for disinfection" or isolation film" etc. After each shift of inspection, the ultrasonic probe must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and stored in a dry place. The transvaginal ultrasound probe is in contact with intact mucous membranes and is a moderately dangerous item. It should achieve "high-level disinfection + protective cover/membrane wrapping".
The materials and waterproof properties of probes from different manufacturers vary, so there is no unified method for probe disinfection that is completely applicable to
all probes. When choosing a disinfection method and disinfectant, you should first refer to the product manual or follow the recommendations provided by the manufacturer. You must consider both the effectiveness of the disinfection effect and the chemical compatibility of the probe material, and ensure that the method is correct and does not damage the probe. Commonly used disinfectants include glutarin, hydrogen peroxide, phthalate, quaternary ammonium salts, etc. Most ultrasound equipment manufacturers warn in their instructions that ethanol, glyoxal, etc. will cause corrosion to the probe. In some provinces and cities, the quality of ultrasound equipment The control center explicitly prohibits cleaning and disinfection of all probes with iodine, organic mercury, organic solvents, peracetic acid, acid, alkaline solutions, etc. Currently, some new products, such as disinfectant gel with coupling function, disinfectant medical ultrasound coupling agent and probe disinfection wipes, have solved the problem of ultrasound probe disinfection to a certain extent. Regarding the cleaning method of the probe, American industry standards recommend the use of soft cloth instead of paper, but most of us use toilet paper for wiping and cleaning.
For vaginal ultrasound probes, film isolation technology (condoms or professional film for the probe) is required during inspection. If the probe protective cover is of poor quality or improperly used, the perforation rate can be as high as 109% to 809%, so it must be Use good quality special protective cases correctly. The perforation rate of condoms is only 1% to 2%, which is much better than the probe protective cover, so it can be used as the first choice. It should also be noted that the use of the probe protective cover cannot replace the cleaning and disinfection of the probe.