How often should surgical instruments be checked for sterility?

Surgical instruments must be checked for sterility after every surgery to ensure that they are safe to use in the next procedure. This involves critical inspection of the instruments to confirm that they have maintained sterility throughout their use and handling. Contamination can occur at any point, from the initial cleaning and sterilization process to the point of use in an operation.

By checking instruments after every surgery, surgical teams can identify any potential breaches in sterility and take appropriate actions, such as re-sterilizing instruments if necessary. This practice is part of maintaining a safe surgical environment and is essential for preventing postoperative infections and complications. Regular checks of sterility based on frequency other than immediately after each use would leave a gap in safety protocols.