Sterile Services Department is responsible for processing, sterilization and quality control all sterile material and equipment applied in medical organizations.

The main task of CSSD – ensuring of effective, economical, continuous and quality sterilization of instruments and materials for twenty-four hour operation of the medical organization.

Modern Central Sterile Services Department must have 3 zones: “dirty”, “clean” and “sterile”.

“Dirty” zone – facilities, where used tools and means of transport (carts, containers) are located.

“Dirty” zone is connected with “clean” only by means of through-type automatic washers and locked pass-through window (to deliver instruments that are washed, disinfected and dried by hands).

“Clean” zone – facilities that are directly located behind the washers. There are instruments and materials; they are clean, but not sterile. Those facilities include rooms for package and preparation for sterilization of instruments.

Entrance into “clean” zone should be made through sanitary inspection room.

“Sterile” zone – this is actually storage of sterilized materials. It is separated from the “clean” zone with passing-through sterilizers. It is a facility for storing sterile instruments.

Key benefits of centralized sterilization can be delineated:

* effective, safe, presterilizing clearing and sterilization of medical devices are provided;

* quality and reliability of sterilization are improving;

* effective and expensive technological equipment is more rationally used;

* control over sterilization is more effectively carried out.