Hygiene & Sterile Supply

Reprocessing and sterile supply are the logistical backbone of every operating theatre — and a market of their own made up of equipment manufacturers, consumables suppliers and service providers. The category covers washer-disinfectors, sterilisers, sterile barrier systems and containers, indicators and documentation systems as well as external reprocessing and sterilisation service providers.

Anyone searching here distinguishes two worlds: the equipment of the central sterile services department in the hospital — large machines, validation services, process documentation — and the industrial side, where manufacturers have their products sterilised before delivery. For the latter, contract sterilisers with validated EO, steam or irradiation processes are the key partners; their capacity and release times determine entire supply chains.

Relevant evidence includes the process standards ISO 11135 (EO), ISO 11137 (irradiation) and ISO 17665 (steam), together with ISO 13485 with a matching scope. For containers and sterile barrier systems, DIN EN 868 and ISO 11607 are added. The register lists sterilisation as a separate process attribute, so that service providers can be combined directly with material and cleanroom requirements.