Sr-90 Eye Applicator sterilization

[ad198@yfn.ysu.edu (Carl Landis)]

Since Hector Mandel asked for posts, here is one that may be appropriate
for this board.

Has anyone dealt with the problem of blood-born pathogens with regard
to a Sr-90 opthalmic applicator?  Our epidemiology dept. here at the
hospital raised the concern the other day.  Now, granted, if you only
use it about once a day, the dose rate at the surface of an applicator
that isn't _too_ old would probably kill anything.  But what if the 
pathogen contaminates the side of the case when you are putting it away
and then recontaminates the applicator when you remove it again?  Or, what
if you have two patients back-to-back?

I am interested in the thoughts of all of you out there.

P.S.  Our nurse will be contacting Amersham to see what they have to say.

Carl Landis
Medical Physics Dept.
Southside Med. Ctr.
Youngstown, OH