Regarding glass bead sterilization, which statement is true?

Regarding glass bead sterilization, which statement is true?

• A. Instruments should remain in the sterilizer for at least 5 minutes.
• B. Instruments are heated to temperatures of 100 °C to 110 °C.
• C. Only the tips of the instruments that are in the glass beads are sterilized.
• D. The instruments can be used on living tissue immediately after removal from the device.

Answer: (C)

Glass bead sterilization works by transferring heat from hot glass beads to the part of the instrument that is dipped into them. Only the portion that is in contact with the beads reaches sterilizing temperatures, so typically only the tips are sterilized. The rest of the instrument isn’t exposed to the same heat, so it isn’t sterilized by this method. The beads are much hotter than 100–110°C, and the exposure is brief, not a long dwell time like several minutes. Also, because the instrument becomes very hot, it shouldn’t be used on living tissue immediately after removal. So the statement that best fits is that only the tips that contact the beads are sterilized.

Glass bead sterilization works by transferring heat from hot glass beads to the part of the instrument that is dipped into them. Only the portion that is in contact with the beads reaches sterilizing temperatures, so typically only the tips are sterilized. The rest of the instrument isn’t exposed to the same heat, so it isn’t sterilized by this method. The beads are much hotter than 100–110°C, and the exposure is brief, not a long dwell time like several minutes. Also, because the instrument becomes very hot, it shouldn’t be used on living tissue immediately after removal. So the statement that best fits is that only the tips that contact the beads are sterilized.