What is the most common reason for steam sterilization failure?

The most common reason for steam sterilization failure is a lack of steam contact with the instruments. For effective sterilization to occur, steam must come into direct contact with all surfaces of the items being sterilized. If there are barriers such as wrapped instruments that are improperly arranged, or if there is insufficient steam penetration within a chamber, it can prevent the heat and moisture from adequately reaching the items. Effective sterilization relies on the direct interaction of steam with the surfaces to ensure that microorganisms are killed, so any obstruction to this contact can lead to failure.

Other reasons related to temperature, conditioning time, or steam dryness can contribute to challenges in the sterilization process, but the fundamental requirement of having proper steam contact is critical for achieving effective sterilization. If this essential condition is not met, even if the temperature and time are theoretically sufficient, the process may still fail due to inadequate exposure of the items to the sterilizing agent.