Genuine Grass Precious Metal Electrode Care

Introduction
The importance of electrode care cannot be overemphasized. Electrodes are the first element in the chain of analog bioelectrical data acquisition. Since amplification is required to boost the analog signals to levels necessary to produce useful displays of the data, unwanted noise and artifacts generated at the electrode-tissue interface will be amplified as well. Poor electrode contact produces poor recordings. Proper electrode use includes the application, cleaning, disinfecting and sterilization where applicable.
Latex: Model F-E10S2 Bipolar Surface Stimulating Electrode is provided with a latex rubber strap. No other electrodes produced and/or offered by Grass Technologies contain latex.
 
Definitions
Cleaning: The removal of all foreign material (soil, organic material) from objects. It is normally accomplished with water, mechanical action, and detergents. Cleaning must precede disinfection and sterilization procedures.
Disinfection: Elimination of many or all pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate objects, with the exception of bacterial spores. This is generally accomplished by the use of liquid chemicals, or wet pasteurization in health care settings.
Sterilization: The complete elimination, or destruction of all forms of microbial life. It is accomplished in the hospital by either physical or chemical processes. Steam under pressure, dry heat, ethylene oxide gas, and liquid chemicals are the principle sterilizing agents used in the hospital. Sterilization is intended to convey an absolute meaning, not a relative one.
 
Cleaning & Disinfecting Grass Electrodes
Rechloriding & Storing Grass Ag/AgCl Electrodes
 

Although Grass Technologies/Astro-Med, Inc. does not recommend any one form of disinfecting or sterilization, we do refer to some known methods (see links above). Disinfecting and sterilization efficacy is the user’s responsibility. The instructions provided by the manufacturer should be followed.

Many labs use “Infection Control: 2000 Review and Update for Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists” (Cindra L. Altman, R.EEG/EP T., RPSGT – published in the Am.J.END Technol. 40:73-97, 2000) as a guide for their labs infection control policies. This paper is endorsed by the Board of Trustees of the American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists (ASET) and is supported by Grass as an electrode manufacturer.

According to the “Infection Control: 2000” paper mentioned above, surface electrodes are considered non-critical items requiring cleaning and/or low-level disinfection after use when no abrasive skin preparation agent/technique or blunt syringe tip is used.

When an abrasive skin preparation/technique or blunt syringe tip is used, the classification for surface electrodes changes to semi-critical items which require a high to intermediate level of disinfection. The “Infection Control: 2000” paper recommends the selection of a product for electrode disinfection that provides an intermediate to high level and to use this product routinely.

 
Grass Technologies does not use any natural latex in any of our products with the one exception of the limb strap provided with our F-E10S2 Bipolar Surface Stimulating Electrodes.