Sorry that I missed this question when posted. I think that there are two issues that need to be addressed. The first is the disinfection of the unit once it has been used. As the unit is not packaged nor stored as "sterile", I assume that you want it to be "clean" and not carry a risk of transmitting various viral contagion.<br><br>Following the use of something that cannot be steam sterilized, I would wash the item with soap and water, taking care to remove all visible contamination. Following that, I would expose the item to a 10% solution of clorox. The clorox will kill viruses that we are concerned about, but will not sterilize the item. If you have access to a hospital that does ethylene oxide sterilization, you might sweet talk someone into processing it for you, but I think that might be overkill.<br><br>The second comment that I have is related to the use of the venom extractor for the treatment of a stingray "bite". The barb on a stingray's tail that causes injury is a serated edged spike that sits on the dorsum of the tail. It has a fibrous sheath that is coated in a jelly.<br><br>Aside from the obvious stab wound that the barb creates, the jelly has the effect of creating tremendous pain. Unfortunately, there is a direct toxic effect that, untreated, can cause a serious local wound healing problem, aside from the impressive risk of infection. The toxin is degraded by exposure to heat.<br><br>So, the way I treat the 20-30 stingray injuries that I see each year in my office is as follows:<br>1. Immerse the (usually) foot in hot water, obviously not hot enough to burn, but not warm. The immersion should continue until the pain is relieved with the foot removed from the water.<br>2. The wound is then explored locally to insure that there are no foreign bodies in the wound (ie sand, sheath, or piece of spine)<br>3. Irrigate the wound copiously with saline.<br>4. I surgically excise the wounds prior to step 3 and 4.<br>5. The wound is then closed with sutures.<br>6. ALL wounds in the ocean or estuaries merit antibiotic treatment. They are at very high risk for infection. Cipro is an excellent choice but carries a risk of photosensitivity.<br>Have fun<br><br><br><br>Jeffery S. Anderson, M.D.<br><br>