Practice Tips #17: Care & Feeding of Your Statim Cassette

Care & Feeding of your Statim ^® Cassette

2000 & 5000 Series

Many dental offices still use the Statim cassette autoclave in the dental office today. Staff can avoid making costly service calls for the Statim with proper maintenance and understanding of how the Statim likes to be treated. You must provide the proper care of the cassette if you want the Statim to operate correctly.

The cassette needs to seal completely for the Statim to sterilize. If steam is visible coming from the area in the front, above the cassette, you have a steam leak. Not correcting this can damage other components and also compromise the sterilization cycle. If water leaks underneath the unit, this also indicates a steam leak. Check underneath your Statim often for such a leak.

Statim Cassette Care

You must keep the cassette clean and free of debris. Remove the bottom rack after every cycle and make sure no small objects (such as burs, ligature wires, etc.) have fallen down in the bottom of the cassette. Small items in the exhaust solenoid can cause damage to the solenoid seal.

Cleaning Tips:

• Clean the cassette with a cleaning pad, such as a Scotch Brite pad and some non-chloride cleanser (Cameo, Bar Keeper’s Friend, Zud) to do a good job.
• Clean both the inside and outside of the cassette. Pay particular attention to the outer edge of the lower tray to be sure debris has been removed. You can see where the seal has made a bit of discoloration.

Feeding the Cassette:

• When loading your Statim autoclave, do NOT overfill the cassette or have an instrument hanging over the edge of the tray. Closing the lid in this case can permanently damage the cassette.
• We recommend pre-loading your instruments into sterilization boxes, such as the Zirc compact cassettes sized neatly to fit into the Statim cassette.
• Also be careful so the steam inlet tube and probes properly align. This could damage the sterilizer when you insert the cassette.

Cassette Maintenance:

• Lubricate the cassette seal twice a week with liquid soap. Do NOT use antibacterial soap.
• Spread the soap liberally over the seal with your finger or a saturated scrap of paper towel. Rinse off and dry.
• Inspect the seal for tears or nicks. Make sure the top edge of the lower tray is straight.

Steam Leaks

If you see steam leaking during a cycle, follow these steps:

1. Clean the cassette as described above.
2. If you still have a leak, replace the seal. Instructions for changing the seal are on our website and are also included with the new seal. Be sure that the two indicator squares are visible in each corner cutout. It is not easy to slide an improperly installed seal into place.
3. When installing a new cassette seal, be careful of sharp edges. It is best to put the four corners into place and then push the rest in afterwards.
4. If cleaning and a new seal do not help, order a separate cassette top and bottom. This is cheaper than a complete cassette and you might not need a whole new one. Try the new lower tray with your top. If this does not help, try the new top on your lower tray.
5. Once you have found which part is worn, discard it. If you have used the new lower tray and cannot return it to your dealer, keep it. An extra lower tray is handy to have.

TECH TIP: Check under the Statim autoclave regularly for water or signs of water (i.e. water staining). Water under the sterilizer is also a sign of a steam leak. Steam leaks must be eliminated to prevent further damage.

The Statim Cassette Autoclave is the registered trademark of SciCan Corporation of Toronto, Canada.

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