When prion disease is suspected due to a positive 14-3-3 protein finding, what is the primary consideration for surgical instrumentation?

• A. Involve sterile processing to ensure instruments are handled appropriately
• B. Use standard instrument processing
• C. Discard all instruments after a single use
• D. Delay all surgeries indefinitely

Answer: (A)

Prions resist standard sterilization, so the key issue is making sure instruments are handled with prion-specific processing. When a prion disease is suspected because of a positive 14-3-3 finding, the sterile processing team must manage instruments using protocols validated for prion decontamination or allocate dedicated instrument sets to prevent cross-contamination. This approach protects other patients and staff, since routine sterilization may not inactivate prions effectively. Discarding all instruments after a single use isn’t the default, and delaying surgeries indefinitely isn’t practical; the focus is on applying proper processing or using dedicated equipment to ensure safety.