Understanding and Managing Static Charge on Medical Instruments

Static electricity occurs when electrons transfer from an object, such as a cloth, to another, such as your body. The charge accumulates until released. Metal medical instruments are such items, and can easily accumulate a static charge.

Accumulation

• Medical instruments are placed in a sterile environment with controlled humidity and temperature. When used for surgery, they are taken out of their container and set on a cloth until surgery begins. The movement of the instruments on the cloth mixed with the low humidity can create static electricity.

Significance

• Static electricity is generally not a health problem, but in a surgical situation a static discharge, and the shock associated with it, can cause problems. It can cause the surgeon to make a mistake or cause a patient's vital signs to change unexpectedly.

Removal

• Static build-up can be removed from surgical instruments by using an ionizing air knife. Another method is to place the surgical instrument on a non-conductive surface, such as a cloth specially designed to not generate static electricity.