ConFirm 10 delivers biological monitoring results for steam sterilizers in only 10 hours.
"ConFirm 10 is the best system for immediacy of a true biological sterilization confirmation,? said a dentist who described the Crosstex ConFirm 10 In-Office Biological Monitoring System as much better than similar products.
Crosstex states that Con-Firm 10 is the first system to deliver biological monitoring results for steam sterilizers in only 10 hours. The 12 dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants who evaluated ConFirm 10 rated such features as time savings, ease of use, and assurance of sterility.
Time Savings
Manufacturer Description: With results delivered in only 10 hours, ConFirm 10 allows practitioners to meet daily biological monitoring requirements for steam sterilizers in less than half the time usually required.
Evaluator Feedback: Time savings as compared to that with other systems was rated as excellent or very good by 8 evaluators, one of whom commented on the ?quick turn-around? and another who said, ?I liked seeing the results fast.?
?This system is fast in that we get reliable results in less than 1 day. Others I?ve read about took 1 to 2 days,? said a dentist who called ConFirm 10 much better than similar products. A dentist in practice for 15 years noted that, ?[You] get results without sending out and waiting for an answer.?
When asked what they?d like to see improved, a few evaluators suggested quicker testing/incubation times. A hygienist who said she would definitely purchase ConFirm 10 and recommend it to colleagues said, ?It?s a bit more time-consuming to process the sample?as opposed to sending out for testing. However, I do like the in-office ability to see the results.? A dental assistant who called the system much better than similar products identified, ?the ability to do it in our office and have results by the next business day? as the feature she liked most.
Ease of Use
Manufacturer Description: ConFirm 10 provides easy to read results?simply process a biological indicator vial in a normal steam sterilization cycle; cool for at least ten minutes, activate the control and test vials by placing into the crusher chamber and immediately place both vials into incubator cells. Incubate for 10 hours and if the media in the test vial turns from purple to yellow this indicates a failed test. It is important to note that the control vial should turn yellow as that confirms the spores in the test vial were alive prior to sterilization. Only the test vial should remain purple (no growth) for a passed test; again if it does turn yellow (spore growth) it is a failed test. If using more than one type of cycle each week, run a separate BI on all cycles routinely used. BI Test and control results are then recorded in the provided Record Keeper Booklet. ConFirm 10 offers everything needed for effective weekly biological monitoring of steam sterilizers, including the incubator and biological indicator vials, record-keeper book and manual, and is available in 110 or 220 Voltage.
Evaluator Feedback: With comments such as, ?It?s user-friendly,? and, ?It has a nice efficient design,? 8 evaluators rated ease of use as excellent. One evaluator reported, ?I felt there were too many steps,? and another said, ?[It was] very simple to use.? The same evaluator noted, ?The system requires only a small space and an electrical outlet.?
When asked about potential improvements, another evaluator suggested changes in the instructions, such as making them more specific or printing them in a larger font.
Assurance of Sterility
Manufacturer Description: Confirm 10 Meets CDC guidelines for Disinfection and Steam Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008 and US Food and Drug Administration cleared. Once processing is complete, the indicator media turns yellow if any bacterial spores survive sterilization (indicating a failed test), making the results easy to interpret and providing assurance when sterility has been achieved (media remains purple, no spore growth, passed test). And all vials contain a chemical indicator on the label, for ease of identification of processed verses unprocessed vials (indicator turns from blue to black when processed) and unprocessed/control vials (remain blue).
Evaluator Feedback: Peace of mind with regard to sterility assurance was rated as excellent by 10 evaluators, with 6 evaluators citing ?immediate in-office results? and ?in-house testing and interpretation? as the features they liked most. When asked about her favorite feature, a New Jersey hygienist with 20 years of experience in dentistry responded with ?the ability to see the results myself.?
?[It?s] comforting to know we can test the sterilizer at any given moment and have the results in 10 hours,? said an Indiana dental assistant who called ConFirm 10 much better than similar products.
Seven evaluators rated ease of interpreting results as excellent. ?[It was] very simple to interpret the results,? said an evaluator who rated all ConFirm 10 features as excellent.
Overall Satisfaction
With comments such as, ?I think the system is great,? and, ?The staff really liked the product,? 8 evaluators rated overall satisfaction as excellent or very good. ?I would use this system in my sterilization protocol,? said a California dentist in practice for 14 years.
