Spaulding Classification (Device Reprocessing)
The Spaulding classification of medical devices for reprocessing, by the infection risk of the site the device contacts.
Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.
Example
- Spaulding category
- Semicritical - contacts mucous membranes / non-intact skin
Result: Spaulding semicritical: contacts mucous membranes or non-intact skin; requires at least high-level disinfection.
The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.
What the result means
- Critical
- Enters sterile tissue or the bloodstream (surgical instruments, implants); requires sterilization.
- Semicritical
- Contacts mucous membranes or non-intact skin (endoscopes); requires at least high-level disinfection.
- Noncritical
- Contacts intact skin only (BP cuffs, stethoscopes); requires low-level disinfection.
What you enter
- Spaulding category
How this is calculated
Spaulding EH. Chemical disinfection of medical and surgical materials. In: Lawrence C, Block SS, eds. Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1968:517-531. Read the source ↗
A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.