Protein deposits are incompletely removed by standard measures of cleaning, decontamination and sterilization. This has led some to raise concerns over the potential for transmission of prion diseases, e.g. vCJD, following reuse of cLMAs.
The following should be noted:
No cases of transmission have been reported
No prion diseases such as vCJD nor viral diseases been transmitted.
All formal evaluations of such risk assess the risk as very low (<<1 per 10 000).
Enhanced cleaning and decontamination techniques
The use of automated washers, and a phase of immersion of the cLMA in potassium permanganate solution, has been shown to reduce protein deposits by around 98%.
These techniques are becoming standard in some countries.
Prevalence and risks of vCJD