Ourense University Hospital upgrades sterilization unit

The Central Sterilization Unit at the Centro Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense (CHUO) has implemented significant technological upgrades to enhance patient safety and operational efficiency. The facility processes approximately 70,000 entries of medical material annually, averaging 250 daily processing cycles to support over 19,000 scheduled and emergency surgeries, as well as outpatient clinics and emergency services.

A recent investment exceeding 220,000 euros has introduced a new washing tunnel, which replaces the capacity of three conventional washing machines and can process up to 15 containers of surgical instruments simultaneously. Additionally, 50,000 euros were allocated to improve the facility's infrastructure, including a new vapor extraction system and an expanded high-purity water treatment plant to ensure instrument longevity and sterilization quality.

To prevent errors and nosocomial infections, the service utilizes a comprehensive digital traceability system based on barcodes. This system tracks instruments across the three hospitals in the sanitary area: Ourense, Verín, and O Barco de Valdeorras. The sterilization process includes manual cleaning, high-temperature disinfection, and rigorous physical, chemical, and biological controls to ensure the complete elimination of microorganisms.