Designation:F1744−96(Reapproved2008)´1StandardGuideforCareandHandlingofStainlessSteelSurgicalInstruments1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF1744;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.´1NOTE—EditorialchangesweremadethroughoutinJune2008.1.Scope1.1Thisguideisintendedtoprovideabetterunderstandingofthecareofstainlesssteelsurgicalinstrumentsintendedforreuse.Thisguideisnotintendedforusewithelectrical,pneumaticorotherpoweredsurgicalinstruments.2.ReferencedDocuments2.1ASTMStandards:2F899SpecificationforWroughtStainlessSteelsforSurgicalInstrumentsF921TerminologyRelatingtoHemostaticForcepsF1026SpecificationforGeneralWorkmanshipandPerfor-manceMeasurementsofHemostaticForcepsF1078TerminologyforSurgicalScissors—InsertedandNon-InsertedBladesF1079SpecificationforInsertedandNoninsertedSurgicalScissorsF1089TestMethodforCorrosionofSurgicalInstrumentsF1325SpecificationforStainlessSteelSutureNeedleHolders-GeneralWorkmanshipRequirementsandCorre-spondingTestMethods3.General3.1StainlessSteelTypes—ThestainlesssteelsmostusedaremartensiticandaustenitictypessuchasthoseinSpecificationF899.Martensiticstainlesssteelcontainsiron,chromium,andsufficientcarbonsothatwhenitishardenedbyheattreatment,asubstantialmartensiticstructureistheresult.Austeniticstainlesssteelhasbettercorrosionresistanceandcontainsiron,chromium,andnickel.Ithasasubstantialausteniticstructureandalowercarboncontent.Althoughitcannotbehardenedbyheattreatment,itcanbework-hardened.3.2Passivation—Stainlesssteelcanspot,stain,andcorrode.Thisisminimizedbypassivationwhichisaprocessusedtocreateaprotectivechromiumoxidesurfacelayerwhileremov-ingsurfacecarbonandiron.Thisisaccomplishedintheatmosphereslowlyorthroughimmersioninoxidizingsolutionorthroughanelectro-polishprocess.Throughrepeatedpro-cessingthepassivatio...
