Use of containment pans and lids for autoclaving caustic solutions

As a means of decontaminating instruments possibly exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the World Health Organization has recommended immersion and autoclaving in sodium hydroxide. However, this recommendation has raised concerns of possible damage to autoclaves, and hazards to operators as a result of the caustic vapors. A series of experiments has been conducted that demonstrate that there are containment pan-and-lid combinations in which instruments can be autoclaved in sodium hydroxide without risk to the autoclave or the operator. (Am J Infect Control 2003;31:257-60.)