FrequentSinger1661 t1_jaag5tl wrote on February 28, 2023 at 12:42 AM

Reply to comment by thesnapening in The bag of tools I was allowed to take home from my Vasectomy by prayingforsuperpower

Most likely these are disposable instruments, not meant to be re-sterilized.

atomic_redneck t1_jaaltf0 wrote on February 28, 2023 at 1:24 AM

Yup. I still have mine from 25 years ago. Apparently it is cheaper to make them disposable rather than having to handle contaminated material and then clean and autoclave them.

Akki14 t1_jac7gww wrote on February 28, 2023 at 11:36 AM

Ever since the discovery of prions, people are less keen to reuse instruments. https://consteril.com/prion-sterilization-guide/

Chevy_Suburban t1_jabymvx wrote on February 28, 2023 at 9:32 AM

How is it cheaper to give away 10+ tools than autoclaving them?

jimb2 t1_jac3gmv wrote on February 28, 2023 at 10:42 AM

That's how it works. Those tools are basically punched out by machines, some with a bit of human finishing. Those things are ok to use, but they are not the same quality as older instruments that would last for years. Single-use instruments can be made of cheaper metal etc and won't stand up to repeated use.

Autoclaving is a slow, manual, small batch process that uses a lot of energy. If the whole process is not done carefully, infection can be spread by poorly autoclaved instruments, potentially leading to infection, harm, death and million dollar law suits. This happens. More expensive stuff is disinfected and reused, but for the simple tools, it's smarter to open a new sterile pack.

Bird_TheWarBearer t1_jabl4tl wrote on February 28, 2023 at 6:30 AM

They are actually the kind of instruments you sterilize and re use. But likely the facility can't or won't sterilize them but instead buys new ones for each patient. Which is weird but after seeing comments I guess it's common if done in a clinic.