You are scrubbed on a total hip and one of the implants get contaminated. The circulator goes out to look for another one and comes back saying that is the last one of that size that they have available in the OR. What do you do?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sterilizing the implant using immediate use sterilization is the only option to continue the surgery. However, using a biological monitoring device in the pan will ensure that the sterilization process was effective and that any potential contamination has been eliminated. Immediate use sterilization with indicator tape is not sufficient to ensure sterilization and should not be relied upon in this situation. Using a different size implant may not be possible or may not provide the best fit for the patient's anatomy.

You Are Scrubbed on a Total Hip and One of the Implants