CN112091828A

CN112091828A - Method for cleaning conventional surgical instruments and device suitable for implementing said method

Info

Publication number: CN112091828A
Application number: CN201910520385.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 索马卡尔·保罗·亚历山德罗
Original assignee: Bical Nozzle Co ltd
Current assignee: Bical Nozzle Co ltd
Priority date: 2019-06-17
Filing date: 2019-06-17
Publication date: 2020-12-18

Abstract

The present invention is a method for cleaning conventional surgical instruments or tools and medical equipment, and an apparatus for performing the method. In particular, the use of abrasive cleaning materials sprayed on the instrument under high velocity pressure for abrading and removing substances adhering to the surface of the instrument is contemplated and wherein the abrasive cleaning materials include sodium bicarbonate, compounds of sodium bicarbonate, and the like.

Description

Method for cleaning conventional surgical instruments and device suitable for implementing said method

Technical Field

This patent relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning re-workable or non re-workable, submersible (water) or non-submersible (water) surgical tools or surgical instruments or medical devices, and more particularly, this patent relates to a new blasting method for cleaning re-workable or non re-workable surgical instruments, whether submersible or not, and medical devices or conventional surgical instruments, and an apparatus for carrying out the procedure.

Background

Surgical instruments and medical equipment, which may or may not be reworkable, immersible or non-immersible, and instruments for performing interventions or operations on a patient's body in the medical field, such as surgery, dentistry, veterinary, etc., are known in the art. In order to be used, these instruments must be completely and thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and sterilized, i.e. there must not be any kind of foreign bodies, bacteria or anything else on the surface of these instruments that could cause any kind of pathological reaction in the patient.

Thus, after each use, the surgical instruments and medical equipment must be cleaned, sterilized, and carefully sterilized, individually packaged in sterile sealed packages suitable for quick opening by the average surgeon or medical staff to remove the tools at the time of use.

In particular, surgical instruments and medical equipment must be preventively and thoroughly cleaned to remove any organic residues from the metal surfaces of the surgical instruments and medical equipment before being subjected to sterilization methods and subsequent sterilization, which typically occur with high temperature steam or other chemical systems or thermal or physical systems (radiation).

In fact, if the organic residues are not removed before the sterilization and subsequent sterilisation, the molecules of the organic residues decompose during the heat treatment, forming an even more firmly adhering precipitate on the surface, which further increases the cleaning problem.

Manual and automatic cleaning devices are also known in the prior art for cleaning and sterilization of medical instruments in order to protect the health of medical personnel from possible infections due to accidental contact with infected surgical instruments and/or medical equipment.

These devices typically operate in three steps. During the first step, the surgical instrument is cleaned with a suitable detergent or ultrasonic cleaner, and then rinsed with water. The method must ensure complete removal of organic residues present on the instrument.

One drawback of the known methods using chemicals lies in the fact that: some of the chemicals commonly used in cleaning cycles are too aggressive for the stainless steel of the surgical instrument, resulting in a type of corrosion known as "pitting".

Furthermore, surgical instruments and medical devices often include portions with smooth surfaces, and portions with rough surfaces, for example, corresponding to handles, to ensure better gripping by the operator. Some surgical instruments also include voids and small indentations/roughness.

These voids or rough surfaces accumulate organic residues that are difficult to remove by known cleaning methods due to the complexity of the surface and the resistance of the contaminant material.

Manual mechanical manipulation by a professional operator is often required prior to the cleaning operation due to the imperfect effectiveness of detergent-based methods. This procedure involves manually brushing the instrument, which obviously involves the risk of infection to the operator due to possible cuts, abrasions, punctures or any other accidental event resulting from the brushing. Furthermore, brushing does not always ensure complete removal of organic residues, because: the instruments used for this mechanical operation are not always able to reach against contaminated voids or cavities and/or the fouling material sometimes formed by dried organic matter becomes extraordinarily attached to the surface, as in the case of glue, padding or tissue residues.

For this reason, systems are also known which use softening baths with or without the aid of suitable ultrasound waves to facilitate the mechanical and/or chemical removal of organic residues from the most complex surfaces. However, these methods are not always effective. The contaminating elements remaining, in particular in the interstices and cavities, are then further fixed with the heat disinfection process and/or the subsequent sterilisation process, thus not guaranteeing the effectiveness of this latter important phase, putting the health of the subsequently treated patient at additional risk.

On the other hand, very aggressive chemical solutions also have a corrosive action, especially at the metal-metal or metal-plastic contact points which are favorable conditions for local corrosion phenomena. Therefore, the treatments used up to now involve both chemical and physical types of corrosion phenomena.

The third stage involves cleaning of instruments and medical equipment with water at high temperatures of about 90 ℃, which can produce even more pronounced corrosive effects corresponding to those areas subject to localized corrosion.

Thus, known procedures and equipment for cleaning, disinfecting and sterilizing medical instruments and equipment constitute various drawbacks.

Endoscopic procedures are also widely known and used in both diagnostic and therapeutic fields, and require the use of endoscopic instruments, devices and accessories, which require high-level disinfection and sterilization procedures due to their contact with undamaged and damaged mucous membranes and tissues.

For example, flexible or rigid endoscopic instruments are known, comprising a probe made of metallic or non-metallic material, typically plastic, equipped with a lens (camera) and commonly used in endoscopic or laparoscopic surgery.

Disclosure of Invention

To overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, a new blasting method using a salt complex (e.g., sodium bicarbonate) and an apparatus for performing the procedure have been studied and implemented for cleaning conventional surgical instruments, medical equipment, or surgical tools. The aim of the invention is to achieve a high degree of mechanical removal of substances adhering to the entire surface of the instrument and at the same time to achieve an efficient cleaning.

In particular, the new procedure maximizes the mechanical removal of substances adhering to the surface of the instrument, and in particular of substances even adhering to: specially finished, threaded, knurled surfaces having conventional impressions, cavities or roughness of any size.

Another object of the invention is to ensure a lasting antibacterial action, hindering the new proliferation of bacteria on the surface of the device comprising very small voids, grooves and/or recesses.

Another important advantage of the present invention is also the significant reduction of the cleaning time and therefore of the associated costs, because: the new product simultaneously exerts a grinding effect, a decontamination effect and possibly also a disinfection effect and/or a biocidal effect in a single application.

Furthermore, the new procedure does not require additional operations such as manual operations to clean the voids and cavities.

Still another object of the present invention is to: the handling of the instruments, surgical tools or medical devices to be cleaned by the operator is further restricted for safety reasons.

A further advantage resulting from the use of the invention is the reduction of energy consumption, because: the application of the product with even unheated water ensures the efficacy of the product and therefore no hot water is required.

Still another object is to: ensuring sufficient water supply to efficiently reduce dust; and ensuring that the sodium bicarbonate is completely dissolved so as to facilitate the discharge and disposal of the waste.

These and other direct and complementary objects are achieved by a new blasting method and apparatus for carrying out the procedure, which utilizes salt compounds (e.g., sodium bicarbonate) to clean conventional surgical instruments or tools.

According to one aspect of the present application there is provided a method for cleaning a conventional surgical tool or instrument or medical device, characterised in that the method comprises the use of an abrasive cleaning material which is sprayed onto the instrument at high velocity pressure for abrading and removing substances adhering to the surface of the instrument itself, and wherein the water-based abrasive cleaning material comprises a compound of a salt, wherein the concentration of water is greater than that required to dissolve the compound of a salt used, or greater than that noted for the dissolution of the compound of a salt itself, wherein water is added during or after the spraying of the cleaning material in order to completely dissolve the compound of a salt before it is sent to discharge or disposal.

Optionally, the compound of the salt is sprayed in an amount ranging from 50 to 300 g/min.

Optionally, the spraying of cleaning material occurs in an enclosed compartment, and further comprising emitting UV radiation onto an inner surface of the compartment.

Optionally, the compound of the salt comprises an alkaline bicarbonate and/or an alkaline carbonate and/or a chloride salt.

Alternatively, the compound of the salt includes a sodium bicarbonate salt, a compound of a sodium bicarbonate salt, and the like.

Optionally, the abrasive cleaning material comprises the salt dissolved in water above the saturation limit, thereby forming a solution comprising salt in dissolved form and/or salt in undissolved form, the solution being adapted to be sprayed and propelled under high velocity pressure against an instrument to be cleaned, and wherein the water is heated or unheated.

Optionally, the abrasive cleaning material further comprises: one or more additives having a disinfecting and/or biocidal effect, and/or one or more additives having a stain-removing and/or disinfecting effect, and/or one or more specifically acting medical articles.

Optionally, the method further comprises: the spray pressure of the abrasive cleaning material is adjusted according to the material or materials from which the instrument is made.

Optionally, the injection pressure can be adjusted and modified between 0.5bar and 12bar depending on the material or materials from which the instrument is made.

Optionally, for treating a plastic surface of the instrument, the injection pressure is between 0.5bar and 3 bar.

Optionally, for treating a metal surface of the instrument, the spray pressure is between 1.5bar and 8 bar.

Optionally, the compound of the salt has a predetermined particle size that depends on the type of surface of the surgical tools and instruments to be cleaned and the type of characteristic dimensions of the conventional grooves, voids and roughness of the surface.

Optionally, the compound of the salt has a particle size between 10 and 700 μm.

Optionally, the compound of the salt has a particle size between 70 and 600 μm.

Optionally, the compound of the salt has a particle size between 150 and 500 μm.

According to another aspect of the present application, there is provided an apparatus for cleaning a conventional surgical instrument or medical device according to the aforementioned method, characterized in that the apparatus comprises:

at least one enclosed blasting compartment adapted to house one or more of the instruments to be cleaned, the blasting compartment in turn comprising a housing having at least one access door to introduce the instruments to be cleaned;

at least one system for feeding abrasive cleaning material, said system further comprising an abrasive material reservoir, a conduit through which a pressurized stream of water draws or pushes abrasive material from said reservoir and delivers said abrasive material to an injector nozzle positioned within said compartment, wherein said injector nozzle injects said abrasive material at high velocity onto said tool to be cleaned within said blasting compartment;

at least one UV lamp adapted to emit UV radiation within the blasting compartment.

Optionally, the compartment comprises at least one opening with a cuff to allow an operator to manipulate the spray nozzle and/or the instrument to be cleaned within the compartment.

Optionally, the device includes one or more supports for the surgical instruments within the compartment, the supports being adapted to restrain and hold instruments in place during blasting.

Optionally, the spray nozzle and/or the support for the instrument to be cleaned can be moved in an automated manner, translated and/or rotated along three spatial directions.

Optionally, the apparatus comprises: means for rinsing and/or blow-drying the instruments after blasting; an extraction system for removing abrasive material from the compartment based on positive or negative pressure; and a filtration system for the air leaving the compartment and recovering the material used in at least one particular container.

Detailed Description

The new cleaning procedure provides for the removal of adherent and tenacious adherent substances from the surface of the instrument to be cleaned, the removal being by abrasion thanks to a high-speed jet directed against the surface of the instrument to be cleaned by a mixture of water and abrasive cleaning material.

In particular, the abrasive cleaning material includes at least one salt compound, such as a sodium bicarbonate salt, a sodium bicarbonate salt compound, and the like.

According to other examples, the method provides for an alkaline bicarbonate (such as, for example, LiHCO)₃、NaHCO₃、KHCO₃、NH₄HCO₂) And/or basic carbonates (e.g., Li)₂CO₃、Na₂CO₂、K₂CO₃、(NH₄)₂CO₃) And/or chloride salts (e.g., NaCl, KCl, NH)₄Cl), and the like.

The salt compound is ideally used wet, wherein the salt compound is dissolved in water above the saturation limit to form a solution comprising dissolved and undissolved salts, which is adapted to be propelled against the instrument to be cleaned at high velocity and pressure.

The salt-dissolved portion of the solution performs the actual cleaning function, dissolving and leaching the organic material present on the surface of the instrument.

In contrast, the undissolved portions of the salt act as abrasive material. The method provides for the injection of the compound for the salt in an amount preferably ranging from 50 to 300 g/min.

The method provides for the spraying of the salt to occur with water, wherein the water is present in an amount greater than that required for the solubility set or specified for the compound that dissolves the salt used.

The water may be propelled in whole or in part at the same time as the compound of the salt is propelled, or the water may be propelled in whole or in part after the compound of the salt is propelled.

The larger amount of water introduced into the container pre-positioned in the aspirator allows to efficiently remove the dust from the salt compounds during spraying and also ensures that the salt is sufficiently dissolved, thus promoting the outflow and discharge of the waste material.

In the particular case where the compound of the salt is sodium bicarbonate known to have a solubility of about 10% by weight, the water used must be at least in excess in order to ensure complete solubility of the compound of the salt at the time of discharge.

The new cleaning procedure provides for the removal of substances adhering and tenaciously adhering to the surface of the object to be cleaned by means of abrasion, high-speed spraying of the cleaning material against the object to be cleaned by abrasion, with controlled particle size determination, depending on the type of surface to be cleaned.

It is also possible to provide sequential or even simultaneous spraying for cleaning materials having two or more different particle sizes to further improve the cleaning efficiency.

In particular, the new method for cleaning conventional medical tools, equipment and surgical instruments with compounds of salts (e.g. sodium bicarbonate) is particularly efficient in case the abrasive material has a particle size/particle diameter between 10 and 700 μm.

In the case of devices comprising the following surfaces, the sodium bicarbonate salt compound is fine-grained, that is to say has a particle size between 10 and 250 μm: the surface has knurls, grooves, recessed edges and roughened areas with characteristic dimensions generally ranging from 50 to 250 μm.

In a preferred and more efficient embodiment, the sodium bicarbonate salt compound has a particle size between 20 and 200 μm.

In the case where the device comprises the following surface, the sodium bicarbonate salt compound has a large size fraction with a particle size between 10 and 700 μm: the surface has knurls, cavities and roughened areas having dimensions substantially greater than 250 μm.

In another possible embodiment, the sodium bicarbonate salt compound has a particle size between 70 and 600 μm.

In a possible preferred embodiment, the sodium bicarbonate salt compound has a particle size between 100 and 500 μm.

The new procedure is particularly suitable for cleaning said surgical instruments and medical devices having any type of surface.

The new method is particularly suitable for cleaning the surgical instruments and medical equipment because: the new method does not have a corrosive effect on the material from which the device is made and there is no wear effect or surface modification of the device.

The basic and unique characteristics of sodium bicarbonate are: sodium bicarbonate has a much lower hardness than sand and is completely soluble and biodegradable.

Sodium bicarbonate is between 2.5 and 3 on the mohs scale used for empirical evaluation of material hardness, while sand, which mainly comprises silica compounds, averages between 6 and 7.

This results in the following: the abrasive action of the sand also affects the metal surfaces of surgical instruments and medical equipment, and the residue is insoluble and therefore can clog in the voids, causing damage and becoming a contaminant itself. In contrast, the abrasive action of sodium bicarbonate breaks down and removes impurities having a lower hardness and deposited on the surgical instrument, while the abrasive action of sodium bicarbonate does not affect the metal surface having a greater hardness.

Furthermore, by varying the bicarbonate injection pressure, the bicarbonate can also act on less resistant materials such as plastics, either by simply reducing the kinetic energy supplied or by reducing the operating pressure.

The new program is thus also provided for: the injection pressure of the salt compound or bicarbonate compound is also adjusted based on the hardness of the bicarbonate itself and the particle size measurement.

The hardness and characteristic dimensions of agglomerates composed of sodium bicarbonate are in fact of a quantity with limited intrinsic variability, mainly due to the speed of the bicarbonate production process. The new procedure allows to vary the injection pressure of the compounds of the salts and therefore the injection speed of the compounds of the salts even according to the type of object and to the material of which the object is made.

The injection pressure is preferably between 0.5bar and 12bar, and is adjustable and modifiable even during the blasting process itself. In particular, in the case of surgical instruments where plastic parts are present, this pressure is maintained between 0.5bar and 3bar, considering that the grinding action must be limited to residues deposited on the instrument without affecting the plastic surface.

In contrast, for some steel surgical instruments, the pressure is maintained between 1.5bar and 8bar, considering the metal surface is hard. In addition, sodium bicarbonate has sanitizing, antibacterial and antifungal effects.

Furthermore, sodium bicarbonate is not hazardous for the operator and is not harmful to the environment. Sodium bicarbonate is biodegradable and 100% soluble. Thus, sodium bicarbonate is not a contaminant and no particular limitation is put on storage, handling and operation.

According to one possible embodiment, the new method foresees that the abrasive cleaning material may comprise, in addition to the compound of salt and water, one or more further agents having disinfecting and/or biocidal capabilities, for example at a concentration between 0.1 and 25%. In this way, both the cleaning operation and the sterilization operation of the instruments and/or medical devices may be performed in one single step.

The cleaning material may further comprise one or more additives and/or one or more special-purpose medical articles having a stain-removing effect and/or a disinfecting effect.

The water used may be heated or even at room temperature, because: the use of sodium bicarbonate, in particular with the addition of disinfectants and/or biocides, ensures excellent cleaning and sanitization.

Thus, by optimizing and improving the durability of medical instruments and equipment and speeding up the reprocessing operations, the new procedure also allows the energy consumption and operating costs to be controlled, with a concomitant significant increase in the quality of the results and therefore in the quality of the sanitization, all under greatly improved operating conditions.

The elimination of the brushing method results in the elimination of the risk for the operator of possible infections caused by accidental punctures, abrasions or cuts that may occur during the washing operation, with a concomitant significant reduction in the costs associated with the accidents.

The improved effectiveness of the cleaning method also results in a significant reduction in the infection rate of subsequently treated patients, with a concomitant reduction in the associated costs, due to better and more efficient cleaning of the surgical instruments.

The method may include a final step in which the instrument is rinsed with cold water (that is, unheated water), and/or blown dry in a defined environment.

The method may further comprise the use of UV radiation, emitted so as to maintain a high level of sanitisation of the working environment or confined environment (compartment) by the bacteriostatic action caused by the radiation.

For the implementation of the new method for cleaning surgical instruments and medical equipment, the use of a device is foreseen, comprising an enclosed sandblasting compartment suitable for containing one or more instruments to be cleaned.

The sandblasting compartment constitutes a defined and protected environment in which the operator can carry out all the cleaning and disinfection operations, without facing dangerous situations for himself and for the operator present and working in the same structure, such as for example possible aerosol contaminations caused by the use of compressed air in the cleaning operation or contaminations removed from the treated object due to direct contact.

In the compartment, there may be one or more supports for the surgical instruments and medical equipment adapted to restrain and hold objects in place during the cleaning process.

The support may be fixed or movable, for example the support may be rotated and/or translated so as to expose the entire surface of the instrument to the jet of the injector nozzle.

According to one possible embodiment, the ejector nozzle is movable, i.e. it is translated and/or rotated in three spatial directions, in order to direct the jet over the entire surface of the instrument to be cleaned.

The tool to be cleaned may in turn be constrained to the fixed or movable support, or the tool to be cleaned may in turn be manually held by an operator.

The injector nozzle may be manually movable or automatically movable.

According to a further alternative embodiment, the injector nozzle is fixed within the compartment, so concomitantly the jets are constantly oriented in the same direction. In this embodiment, the object to be cleaned may be manually held by an operator so as to expose the entire surface of the object to be cleaned to the jet flow. Alternatively, the support for the object to be cleaned is motorized and mobile, translated and/or rotated, thereby fully automating the procedure.

The apparatus further comprises at least one system for feeding abrasive material, said system in turn comprising an abrasive material reservoir, and wherein a pressurized stream of water draws or pushes abrasive material from said reservoir through at least one conduit and delivers said abrasive material to an ejector nozzle positioned within said compartment. Abrasive material is passed at high velocity through the injector nozzle within the blasting compartment and sprayed onto the object to be cleaned.

The apparatus preferably further comprises means for adjusting the abrasive material injection pressure between 0.5bar and 12 bar.

In a preferred embodiment, the new appliance further comprises means for adjusting said pressure to a preset value, for example between 0.5 and 3bar for the treatment of surgical instruments with plastic surfaces, and between 1.5 and 8bar for the treatment of surgical instruments with metal surfaces.

In one possible embodiment, the reservoir is removable so as to be able to supply, as the case may be, a sodium bicarbonate compound having a desired particle size determination, depending on the type of instrument to be cleaned. Alternatively, the new device may comprise two or more receptacles each containing a compound of said sodium bicarbonate salt having a specific particle size, and wherein each of said receptacles is connected or selectively connectable to said ejector nozzle or to the ejector nozzle of the receptacle itself.

The apparatus may further comprise one or more means for automatically selecting from which receptacle the abrasive material to be ejected is picked up, wherein the selecting may comprise selecting alternatively or simultaneously the two or more receptacles for alternatively or simultaneously ejecting material having different particle sizes.

The apparatus may further comprise: an abrasive material vacuum pumping system in the compartment; and a filtration system for the air leaving the compartment and recovering the material used in the at least one suitable container.

The ejection compartment, which may be of any shape and size, includes a housing having at least one access door for insertion and removal of surgical instruments and medical equipment.

The bay housing further comprising: one or more glazing control windows; one or two openings with a cuff to allow an operator to manipulate the blasting nozzle and/or rotate the object to be cleaned within the compartment; and an exhaust opening at the bottom of the compartment.

The compartment bottom is for example shaped to promote waste outflow.

The cleaning operation with bicarbonate can thus be carried out simultaneously manually by one or more operators, or automatically by means of suitable instruments or suitable automated mechanical systems.

The new installation also comprises one or more UV lamps, i.e. adapted to emit UV radiation at least inside the sandblasting compartment so as to impact the surface of the sandblasting compartment.

The compartment preferably includes at least one opening with a cuff to allow an operator to manipulate the spray nozzle and/or the instrument to be cleaned within the compartment.

The spray nozzle may be fixed, with a constant spray orientation, or it may be moved in an automated manner, translated and/or rotated in three spatial directions, in order to orient the spray throughout the entire surface of the object to be cleaned.

The device also preferably comprises one or more supports for surgical instruments and medical equipment within the compartment, adapted to constrain and maintain the instruments in position during blasting, and wherein the supports are fixed or moved, rotated and/or translated in an automated manner so as to expose the entire surface of the instruments to the jet of the injector nozzle.

The device still includes: means for rinsing and/or blow-drying the instruments after blasting; an extraction system for removing abrasive material from the compartment based on positive or negative pressure; and a filtration system for the air leaving the compartment and recovering the material used in at least one particular container.

Accordingly, reference is made to the foregoing description for the purpose of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a conventional surgical tool or instrument or medical equipment, characterized in that the method comprises the use of an abrasive cleaning material which is sprayed onto the instrument at high speed pressure for abrading and removing substances adhering to the surface of the instrument itself, and wherein the water-based abrasive cleaning material comprises a compound of a salt, wherein the concentration of water is greater than the concentration required for dissolving the compound of a salt used or greater than the concentration indicated for the dissolution of the compound of a salt itself, wherein water is added during or after the spraying of the cleaning material in order to completely dissolve the compound of a salt before it is sent to discharge or disposal.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the compound of the salt is sprayed in an amount ranging from 50 to 300 g/min.

3. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein said spraying of cleaning material takes place in an enclosed compartment, and further comprising emitting UV radiation onto the inner surface of said compartment.

4. The method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the compounds of the salts comprise basic hydrogen carbonates and/or basic carbonates and/or chloride salts.

5. The method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the compounds of the salts comprise sodium bicarbonate salts, sodium bicarbonate salt compounds and the like.

6. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the abrasive cleaning material comprises the salt dissolved in water above the saturation limit, thereby forming a solution comprising salt in dissolved form and/or salt in undissolved form, which is adapted to be sprayed and propelled under high-speed pressure against the instrument to be cleaned, and wherein the water is heated or unheated.

7. The method of the preceding claim, wherein the abrasive cleaning material further comprises: one or more additives having a disinfecting and/or biocidal effect, and/or one or more additives having a stain-removing and/or disinfecting effect, and/or one or more specifically acting medical articles.

8. The method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises: the spray pressure of the abrasive cleaning material is adjusted according to the material or materials from which the instrument is made.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the injection pressure is adjustable and modifiable between 0.5bar and 12bar depending on the material or materials from which the instrument is made.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the injection pressure is between 0.5bar and 3bar for treating the plastic surface of the instrument.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the spray pressure is between 1.5bar and 8bar for treating a metal surface of the instrument.

12. The method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the compound of the salt has a predetermined particle size depending on the type of surface of the surgical tools and instruments to be cleaned and the type of characteristic dimensions of the conventional grooves, voids and roughness of said surface.

13. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said compound of salts has a particle size comprised between 10 and 700 μm.

14. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said compound of salts has a particle size comprised between 70 and 600 μm.

15. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said compound of salts has a particle size comprised between 150 and 500 μm.

16. An apparatus for cleaning conventional surgical instruments or medical equipment according to the method of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises:

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the compartment comprises at least one opening with a cuff to allow an operator to manipulate the spray nozzle and/or the instrument to be cleaned within the compartment.

18. The apparatus of claims 16, 17, comprising one or more supports for the surgical instruments within the compartment, the supports being adapted to restrain and hold instruments in place during blasting.

19. Device according to claim 16, 17, 18, characterized in that the spray nozzle and/or the support for the instrument to be cleaned can be moved in an automated manner, translated and/or rotated along three spatial directions.

20. The apparatus of claims 16, 17, 18, 19, wherein the apparatus comprises: means for rinsing and/or blow-drying the instruments after blasting; an extraction system for removing abrasive material from the compartment based on positive or negative pressure; and a filtration system for the air leaving the compartment and recovering the material used in at least one particular container.