Feral Cat Coalition Clinic Procedures
Surgical Instrument Maintenance
At each FCC Clinic, there is a surgical pack for each Veterinarian who is spaying. Each pack is sterilized after being double-wrapped and taped with 3/4" autoclave tape.
Each veterinarian uses one surgical pack per clinic containing:
- 15 drapes
- 30 3" X 3" gauze sponges
- 2 folded fabric surgical towels
- 1 sterility indicator
There is also a set of instruments for each spay operation packed in a 5 1/4" X 101/4" self-sealing peel pack.
Each veterinarian uses one instrument set per spay operation containing:
- 1 blade handle
- 1 carmalt
- 1 pair suture-cutting scissors
- 4 small hemostats
- 1 spay hook
- 1 needle holder
- 1 forceps
- 1 towel clamp
At each clinic, there are two neuter sets available. Each Veterinarian doing castration procedure uses one neuter set for multiple neuter operations with cold sterile soak in between (please see Vet Assist Procedure for more information). Each neuter set is packed in a 4" X 8" self-sealing peel pack containing:
- 1 pair small scissors
- 3 small hemostats
- 1 blade handle (optional)
At each clinic, extra items are packaged separately for back-up use in self-sealing peel packs:
- Gauze sponges -- 10 per pack
- Drapes -- 5 per pack
- Fabric surgical towels -- 1 per pack
During the clinic, the used instruments are washed in water (see Vet Assist Procedure) and placed in the (2) 5-gallon red instrument buckets. The instruments in the red buckets are sprayed with diluted instrument milk throughout the clinic such that each instrument is coated to retard rust (a stream-type setting on the spray nozzle is used rather than an aerosol-type setting to avoid overspray onto the sterile field). Instrument milk is diluted 1 part milk to 6 parts water.
After the clinic, the instruments are placed on clean, lint-free terrycloth towels, separated, and checked for cleanliness and/or rust. Rust is removed with non-abrasive cleaner/cloth. Instruments are counted and repacked into instrument sets and neuter sets as described above then autoclaved per autoclave instructions. Autoclaved instruments are stored and transported to the clinic in large, moisture-proof plastic containers. Unused gauze sponges, fabric surgical towels, and drapes are recycled. Used fabric surgical towels and drapes are laundered and recycled.
Immediately after clinic, reorder necessary supplies from Supply Coordinator:
- 3/4" autoclave tape
- 3" X 3" gauze sponges
- 4" X 8" self-sealing peel packs
- 5 1/4" X 101/4" self-sealing peel packs
- 5 gallon buckets (2)
- Drapes cut for spay operation
- Fabric surgical towels
- Instrument milk
- Plastic storage/transport containers
- Spray bottle (with variable nozzle)
- Sterilization indicators
- Sterilization wrap (24" X 24")
- Terry cloth towels (3 or 4 large)
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[Page updated November 2009]