30 July 2026

Preparation of surgical instruments

Checklists, controls, and artificial intelligence to reduce packaging errors

The preparation of surgical instruments represents one of the most delicate activities within the sterile processing department. An incomplete kit, an incorrect instrument, or a non-compliant configuration can generate operational delays, reworks, and critical issues that impact the entire surgical pathway. A missing tool or one placed in the wrong set can lead to the need to quickly source replacement devices, slowing down operating theatre activity or, in the most critical cases, requiring the entire set to be reassembled.

For this reason, the quality of the process does not depend exclusively on sterilisation, but also on all the checks carried out before the devices are packaged and made available for use. In this context, Promedital supports healthcare facilities with solutions that combine standardisation, traceability, and innovative technologies to improve the reliability of set preparation.

Preparation of surgical sets: why this phase is fundamental for quality and safety

Before sterilisation, every instrument must be identified, checked, and correctly placed within the intended set. To properly prepare surgical instruments kit procedures, care, specific skills, and adherence to standardised protocols are strictly required, because any errors can only be detected when the set arrives in the operating theatre, leading to significant operational consequences.

The correct preparation of surgical sets does not simply consist of gathering the instruments needed for a procedure, but in verifying that every device is present, intact, functional, and compliant with the intended configuration. The more the process is standardised, the lower the risk of errors during the packaging of surgical kits and in the subsequent stages of the workflow.

Checklists and controls for packaging surgical kits: How to reduce errors

Standardisation represents one of the most effective methods to reduce operational variability and improve process quality. For this reason, many sterile processing departments adopt checklists and control points that guide operators during the composition and verification of sets.

An effective checklist should include at least:

  • verification of the presence of all scheduled instruments;
  • integrity and functionality checks of the devices;
  • compliance of the set with the defined configuration;
  • verification of the correct assembly of complex instruments;
  • recording of the verifications carried out.

The goal is not only to reduce packaging errors, but also to guarantee uniformity among different operators, facilitating quality control and improving the traceability of surgical instruments throughout the entire sterilisation process.

Surgical instrument identification with artificial intelligence: advantages for the CSSD

Despite the use of structured checklists, surgical instrument identification continues to represent one of the most complex activities within CSSDs. Many instruments feature very similar characteristics and, especially in the most complex sets, the risk of omissions or identification errors can increase.

In this scenario, artificial intelligence introduces a new approach to automated scanning. Among the different surgical instrument identification methods available today, AI-based technologies allow for the automatic analysis of the instrumentation present on the packaging table and its comparison with the set’s intended configuration.

The objective is not to replace the experience of operators, but to support it through automatic controls that make the process more standardised and reliable. Thanks to the automatic recognition of instruments, the system can quickly identify any missing, incorrect, or non-compliant elements relative to the defined checklist, reducing the risk of errors before the kit is packaged and sent for sterilisation.

This approach proves particularly useful in staff training as well, because it allows operators to be guided during the preparation and verification of sets, fostering greater operational consistency and a reduction in learning times.

SUIS Surgical Instrument Scanner: automatic recognition and verification of surgical sets

A concrete example of this evolution is SUIS Surgical Instrument Scanner, the solution developed by Promedital that uses artificial intelligence to automatically check packaging checklists and support the reassembly of surgical sets.

After scanning the container, the system automatically identifies the instruments on the table using cameras and AI-based recognition algorithms, without requiring DataMatrix or RFID applied to the devices. The information is compared with the intended configuration of the set, and the system immediately reports any missing, incorrect, or non-compliant instruments.

During reassembly, SUIS guides the operator step-by-step through visual, acoustic, and voice indications, highlighting the next instrument to be placed in the container on the integrated monitor. In this way, checklist verification becomes an integral part of the operational process rather than a separate check carried out a posteriori.

The main benefits include:

  • reduction of incomplete sets;
  • decrease in packaging errors;
  • automatic control of checklists;
  • reduction of non-conformances due to human error;
  • reduction in training times for new operators;
  • greater standardisation of activities;
  • improvement in the traceability of surgical instruments.

For example, during the preparation of a complex set, the presence of a visually similar but unexpected instrument may not be immediately detected by a less experienced operator. Thanks to automatic recognition and comparison with the digital checklist, the system is able to highlight the discrepancy before packaging and sterilisation, helping to reduce errors and reworks.

How to improve the preparation of surgical instruments and process traceability

The quality of sterilisation also depends on the quality of the activities performed beforehand. Having effective checklists, standardised procedures, and support tools based on artificial intelligence reduces errors, improves traceability, and increases the overall reliability of the process.

Investing in the preparation of surgical sets therefore means intervening in one of the most important phases of the entire instrumentation journey, helping to improve operational efficiency, safety, and service quality.

Would you like to discover how to optimise the preparation of surgical sets in your sterile processing department? Contact Promedital to learn more about our solutions dedicated to automatic instrument recognition and intelligent surgical instrument management.