FDA Enforcement Class II Terminated

Verify¿ Bowie-Dick Test Card, Model #S3098, Steris Biological Operations, 9325 Pinecone Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 The Verify Bowie-Dick Test Card consists of a card printed on one side with bars of chemical indicator ink. On the opposite side of the card, space is provided for critical cycle information to be recorded. The card is laminated inside a thin clear plastic enclosure. The enclosure has two holes in it to allow air removal and steam penetration. The preassembled test is used to evaluate the effectiveness of air removal from the sterilizer chamber during prevacuum pulse steam sterilizer cycle. Following a prevacuum cycle, the chemical bars of the Bowie-Dick Test card uniformly darken indicating that residual air has been sufficiently removed to allow complete steam penetration into the test card. If air is trapped in the card during the exposure phase of the cycle, the color change of the bars will be incomplete or uneven. Thus the card can provide an immediate indication of inadequate removal of air during a cycle. The Bowie-Dick Type test is performed in an empty chamber each day the sterilizer is to be used, usually before the first sterilization cycle.

Recall: Z-2417-2012 · Reported September 26, 2012

Enforcement

Recall Number
Z-2417-2012
Event ID
63129
Classification
Class II
Status
Terminated
Product Type
Devices
Firm
Steris Corporation
Voluntary / Mandated
Voluntary: Firm initiated
Initial Notification
Letter
Report Date
September 26, 2012
Initiation Date
July 3, 2012
Classification Date
September 20, 2012
Termination Date
March 27, 2013
Address
5960 Heisley Rd, Mentor, OH, 44060-1834, United States

Description

Verify¿ Bowie-Dick Test Card, Model #S3098, Steris Biological Operations, 9325 Pinecone Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 The Verify Bowie-Dick Test Card consists of a card printed on one side with bars of chemical indicator ink. On the opposite side of the card, space is provided for critical cycle information to be recorded. The card is laminated inside a thin clear plastic enclosure. The enclosure has two holes in it to allow air removal and steam penetration. The preassembled test is used to evaluate the effectiveness of air removal from the sterilizer chamber during prevacuum pulse steam sterilizer cycle. Following a prevacuum cycle, the chemical bars of the Bowie-Dick Test card uniformly darken indicating that residual air has been sufficiently removed to allow complete steam penetration into the test card. If air is trapped in the card during the exposure phase of the cycle, the color change of the bars will be incomplete or uneven. Thus the card can provide an immediate indication of inadequate removal of air during a cycle. The Bowie-Dick Type test is performed in an empty chamber each day the sterilizer is to be used, usually before the first sterilization cycle.

Reason

STERIS has learned that the Verify Bowie Dick Test Cards are not performing to product specifications. Specifically, test cards have resulted in false fail results when sterilizer performance is within acceptable ranges.

Code Info

Model #S3098, Serial #"s: H20013, H20014, and H20016.

Distribution

Worldwide Distribution--USA (nationwide) including the states of AL, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IN, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK,OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. and the country of Canada.

Quantity

629 cards