Hydrim is best described as which device?

• A. Sterilizer
• B. Washer/Disinfector
• C. Cooling unit
• D. Dry heat sterilizer

Answer: (B)

Hydrim is a washer/disinfector. Its main job is to automate cleaning and decontamination of instruments by using water, detergents, and mechanical action to remove soil and reduce the microbial load. It is designed to prepare instruments for the next step, such as sterilization, rather than to achieve sterility itself. It’s not a cooling unit, and it’s not a dry heat sterilizer, which rely on heat without moisture or on dry heat to sterilize. In practice, instruments go through a cleaning cycle in a washer/disinfector to remove contaminants so they’re ready for sterilization or use.