Astramed uk Bowie & Dick Test Packs are pre-assembled, single use test packs designed to evaluate the performance of the air removal system of pre-vacuum assisted sterilizers in compliance with EN 285 and operating at 134°C and 3.5 minutes.

An indicator sheet printed with water based, non-toxic chemical indicator is places in the center of each pack. The uniform color change of the indicator after steam sterilization indicates that all air was removed and replaced by steam.

The backside of the indicator sheet contains fields to be filled out and it can be kept as a permanent record for traceability purposes.

Interpreting the Test Results

“It’s the color change that tells you the steam is penetrating the test pack and pulling all the air out of the autoclave,” according to Gillingham.

A successful Bowie-Dick Test is very evident based on the color change of the thermochormatic paper within the test pack. If the thermochromatic paper turns completely black, then the steam has penetrated the load and the autoclave is operating correctly.

Lack of or a partial color change indicates an unsuccessful Bowie-Dick Test cycle. “If the color hasn’t completely changed, it means something hasn’t worked correctly,” said Gillingham.