How long are unwrapped items considered sterile after autoclaving?

Unwrapped items that have been autoclaved are considered sterile as long as they remain dry and covered. This means that once the sterilization process is complete, the sterility of unwrapped items is maintained only if they are immediately handled appropriately. Keeping these items in a sterile container helps to protect them from contamination, but sterility is largely dependent on the environmental conditions; specifically, they must remain undisturbed, dry, and covered.

In general practice, unwrapped items have a much shorter sterility duration compared to wrapped items, which can remain sterile for a longer period due to their protective barrier. The duration of sterility of unwrapped items typically does not reach as long as one week unless specific conditions are maintained. Therefore, while the idea of a one-week duration may seem plausible in certain settings, the emphasis on remaining dry and covered is crucial for maintaining sterility in real-time usage.