Cost analysis of three low-temperature sterilization systems at Saint Barnabas Medical Center.

To avoid the heavily increasing costs of ethylene oxide, and with the imminent demise of 88/12 EtO at the same time that heat-sensitive endoscope use was on the rise, Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ was urgently interested in choosing among low-temperature sterilization alternatives currently available. They decided to compare the costs of 100% EtO with the 88/12 system and a new, low-temperature hydrogen peroxide gas plasma system (HPGP) called STERRAD. The HPGP system proved to be less expensive overall than either EtO system due to quicker total cycle times, lower utility use and virtually no regulatory compliance issues. The hospital was also satisfied that the system effectively sterilized the items on which it was used.