Bowie & Dick Test
Daily functional test for the legally required performance verification of medical steam sterilizers with fractional vacuum.
- Ready to use and easy to apply
- Complies with legal requirements
- Suitable for all chamber sizes
Description
To ensure that steam can fully penetrate the load in a sterilizer, the air in the chamber must first be evacuated. If an adequate pre-vacuum is not created before introducing the steam, effective sterilization cannot be achieved.
With Stericop’s Bowie & Dick Test, you can easily verify whether the steam saturation in the sterilizer reaches the necessary concentration. According to DIN EN ISO 17665, such a performance test must be conducted daily for steam sterilization, provided the procedure includes the removal of air from the medical device (e.g., fractional vacuum). The chamber size of your sterilizer is irrelevant in this context.
The test simulates a tightly packed textile load of 7 kg, which the steam can struggle to penetrate. The chemical indicator changes color upon contact with steam, making inadequate steam penetration visible.
| Product | Order No. | Package Size | Storage | Shelf Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie & Dick Test | 521015 | 15 pieces | Dry, at room temperature | 3 years from the date of manufacture |
Application
Application of the Bowie & Dick Test is very simple:
- Place the test in the empty sterilizer chamber.
- Start the Bowie & Dick Test program (134°C / 3.5 min).
- After the cycle is completed, remove the Bowie & Dick Test from the sterilizer chamber.
- Grasp the indicator strip at the tab and pull it out to check for color change.
Evaluation
Check the indicator strip for color change – no color chart is required. During the sterilization process, a reference (A) forms on the tab, which can be compared with the indicator field by simply flipping it over. With adequate sterilization, the indicator field (B) should also show a uniform pink color, similar to the reference.
An incomplete color change with blue areas indicates poor steam penetration. In this case, a repeat of the test is necessary to rule out technical defects in the sterilizer.
After the evaluation, you should record the result in the sterilization log; the indicator can then be discarded.
Downloads
Our product flyer contains all the important information about the Bowie & Dick Test, along with a printable illustrated guide.
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