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What This Guide Helps With
Addresses wet loads, residual moisture, and complaints attributed to cleaning by checking loading, packaging, drainage, drying, workflow, and correct equipment responsibility.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Protect the Sterile Load
Do not release a load that is wet or otherwise fails facility acceptance criteria. Moisture can compromise package integrity and sterile handling.
If the complaint is “poor cleaning,” verify whether cleaning was actually performed before sterilization on another device or manually.
Expected outcome: Questionable loads are withheld and the complaint is assigned to the correct stage of reprocessing.
2. Confirm the Exact Symptom
Determine whether packs are visibly wet, trays retain pooled water, only certain items are affected, the entire chamber remains damp, or staff are reporting visible soil rather than moisture.
Expected outcome: The problem is separated into drying, drainage, loading, packaging, or pre-cleaning concerns.
3. Verify the Sterilizer Is Not Being Expected to Clean Instruments
A steam sterilizer is part of the sterilization process and should not be used to compensate for inadequate cleaning. If instruments enter the T-Edge 10 visibly soiled, investigate the upstream cleaning process.
Expected outcome: Poor cleaning is routed to the correct washer, ultrasonic cleaner, manual cleaning process, or workflow when appropriate.
4. Check Load Arrangement
Inspect tray placement, spacing, package orientation, and overall load density. Look for tightly packed items, nested containers, or placement that could trap condensate or interfere with drying.
Expected outcome: The load allows normal steam contact, drainage, and drying.
5. Check Packaging and Containers
Verify packages and containers are approved for the selected sterilization process and are assembled according to facility procedure.
Do not troubleshoot the sterilizer around inappropriate packaging.
Expected outcome: Packaging is compatible with the sterilization cycle and permits moisture removal.
6. Inspect Chamber and Drainage Areas
When cool and safe, inspect the chamber and accessible drain area for debris, pooled water, or an obstruction that could interfere with condensate removal.
Expected outcome: The chamber drains freely and contains no obvious external obstruction.
7. Verify the Correct Cycle Was Used
Confirm that staff selected the intended validated cycle and any normal drying option appropriate to the load. Do not extend or alter protected sterilization parameters without authorization.
Expected outcome: The selected cycle matches the approved load and packaging.
8. Compare With a Controlled Test Load
When permitted, run an approved representative or reduced test load with correct packaging and arrangement.
If the test load dries properly, focus on load preparation, packaging, or workflow rather than assuming internal sterilizer failure.
Expected outcome: The comparison identifies whether the issue follows the sterilizer or the load configuration.
9. Perform Complete Process Verification
Verify cycle completion, package condition, dryness, and all required physical and process indicators before return to routine use.
Expected outcome: Loads emerge acceptably dry and required sterilization checks pass. Troubleshooting can stop.
10. Escalate Persistent Wet-Load Problems
If proper loading, packaging, cycle selection, and drainage have been verified but loads remain consistently wet, remove the sterilizer from service for further evaluation.
Expected outcome: Internal drying, heating, drainage, valve, sensing, or vacuum-related causes are assessed by qualified personnel.
If the Problem Persists
External causes involving load arrangement, packaging, cycle choice, chamber drainage, and upstream cleaning have been ruled out. Persistent moisture may involve internal drying performance, drainage, heating, valves, sensors, vacuum functions, or other service-level causes.
Remove the sterilizer from service, label it Out of Service, and arrange qualified evaluation using appropriate Tuttnauer documentation and approved test equipment.
If poor cleaning rather than wetness is the true complaint, evaluate the upstream cleaning process separately. After sterilizer repair, complete required cycle and process verification before return to service. Knowing when to stop external troubleshooting is proper troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
A wet wrapped load should not be treated as acceptable simply because the sterilization cycle displayed “complete.”
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Sterile Processing reported that wrapped loads from the Tuttnauer T-Edge 10 were consistently wet at cycle completion."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Clinical Engineering found the chamber was being loaded too densely for normal drainage and drying."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Load arrangement was corrected, a representative verification load completed dry, and required sterilization checks passed before routine use resumed."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Wet packs, pooled water, or visible soil
- Specific items affected
- Load density and arrangement
- Packaging type and condition
- Cycle selected
- Drying option used
- Chamber and drain condition
- Results with reduced or test load
- Upstream cleaning process involved
- Process-verification results
- Final device status
Final Thought
Wet loads and poor cleaning are different problems and may belong to different parts of the reprocessing workflow. Verify loading, packaging, drainage, and the actual source of the complaint before assuming an internal sterilizer failure.
That is successful troubleshooting.