Automotive V-Belt as Autoclave Door Gasket Improvise in a Financially Constrained Healthcare Facility

Abstract

This study seeks to document our experience with the use of an automotive V-belt as an autoclave door seal improvise in a financially constrained healthcare facility with respect to the experiment and outcome. The investigation was conducted using a 150-liter vertical steam autoclave in the Central Sterilization and Supply unit of a healthcare facility in Ebonyi state Nigeria. The standard lid seal was replaced with a locally sourced multi-ply automotive/industrial V-belt of the same circumference. The improvised seal was used over a number of sterilization cycles under standard conditions (121oC, ~15psi steam). The result indicated initial effective sterilization. However, after repeated cycles, the improvised seal exhibited material fatigue, loss of elasticity, and diminished compression.  This outcome suggests that while a V- belt may serve as a temporary stop-gap in emergencies, it is not a substitute to standard autoclave gasket