For the first time in the U.S., STERIS Corporation, a leader in sterility assurance monitoring technologies, has launched the Verify® SixCessTM Steam Emulating Indicators and Test Packs, reliable, high-performing monitoring devices that provide faster final reads to allow the immediate release of all loads and all items within the load.

"The Verify SixCess technology is a major advance in sterilization monitoring," says Marshall Dahneke, vice president and general manager STERIS's Infection Prevention Technologies division. "At a time when hospitals will be more accountable than ever for avoidable infections, it is especially important for STERIS to be able to offer the highest possible level of assurance that patient care items have properly completed a steam sterilization process and are safe to use."

Unlike biological indicators, which require incubation time before they show results, chemical indicators provide immediate results indicating whether the sterilizer, cycle, load or instrument pack has been exposed to one or more of the required variables (time, temperature, steam quality) necessary for a particular sterilization process or cycle.
Not long ago only five classes of chemical indicators were used in the United States, each with different capabilities for various monitoring applications.

In early 2008 the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the FDA recognized a sixth classification of chemical indicators. Class 6 indicators are defined as emulating indicators, designed to react to all the critical variables of a sterilization process. In addition, their performance is matched specifically to recognized sterilization cycles. These cycle-specific chemical indicators are the most advanced technology in sterility assurance monitoring. They allow the immediate release of all sterilizer loads and provide a very high level of sterilization process assurance targeted for the steam cycles used today.

"We are excited to offer a sterility assurance monitoring technology with so many benefits for patients and healthcare providers," says Heide Ames, product manager for sterility assurance products at STERIS."The SixCess cycle-specific design provides more process information, more accurately. In addition, the use of Verify SixCess products allows a sterile processing department to immediately release all loads without the need to quarantine loads, use expensive readers or complete emergency release documentation, which will help the department streamline their workflow further and establish a consistent load release protocol."

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