What types of devices require high-level disinfection?

High-level disinfection is a crucial practice in the field of respiratory care, particularly for semicritical devices. These are items that come into contact with mucous membranes or non-intact skin but do not penetrate sterile tissue. Because of their use in procedures that involve contact with delicate tissue, it is essential to ensure that these devices are properly disinfected to eliminate the risk of infection.

Semicritical devices include items like flexible bronchoscopes and nebulizers, which can harbor pathogens that may lead to patient infections if not adequately disinfected. High-level disinfection is effective in eliminating all microorganisms, except large numbers of bacterial spores, making it suitable for these types of devices that require more stringent disinfection than noncritical devices.

In contrast, critical devices, which enter sterile tissues, require sterilization, while noncritical devices that come into contact only with skin can typically be cleaned with lower levels of disinfection or simple cleaning. Disposable devices are designed for single use and are discarded after one use, thus do not require the same disinfection processes.