Helix test for hollow instruments

Cannulas, handpieces, needles and small tubes are the hardest loads for an autoclave: steam has to push the air out of a long, narrow channel, and if it fails the inside of the instrument stays non-sterile. The Helix test checks exactly this.

The device is a thin tube 1.5 metres long, coiled into a spiral and closed at one end by a capsule that holds an indicator strip. The tube reproduces a very demanding hollow item: place it in the chamber, start the cycle and open the capsule when the programme ends. If the strip has changed colour completely, the steam got all the way through; if the colour change is incomplete, the autoclave is not removing air properly and must be checked.

Run the test at regular intervals and whenever a problem is suspected, together with the Bowie & Dick test for porous loads. The pack contains indicators for 100 tests.

Included

• Helix device with 1.5 m tube
• 100 indicator strips
• Cotton bag to store the device
• Instructions for use