The 10th International Sterilization and Disinfection Congress, DAS 2017, took place from 29 November to 3 December 2017 at the Sueno Deluxe Congress Center in Belek, Antalya. The event brought together specialists, researchers, and managers working in sterilization, infection control, and medical device reprocessing.
The paper “Wet Package Problems in Central Sterile Supply Department,” prepared by Fatemeh Dehghani, Hamid Zare, and Alireza Mansouri, was accepted as an oral poster. I presented the work in scientific session SS-21.
The presentation examined wet packs following steam sterilization and their implications for patient safety. Moisture on or inside a sterile package can create a pathway for contamination. A wet package must therefore be considered contaminated and should not be used for a clinical procedure.
The main causes discussed included poor steam quality, sterilizer malfunction, improper packaging or loading, excessive instrument-set weight, and inadequate drying or cooling time. The presentation also emphasized event documentation, full root-cause investigation, and reprocessing of affected packages.
Presenting at the congress provided a valuable opportunity to exchange experience with international specialists and introduce Iranian research in sterilization and CSSD practice.
