NTMIR.org has Device Sterilizing Advice

Yesterday, Amy Leitman, president of NTM Info & Research, shared an important post on their message board.

She expressed deep concern about people in our community using Instant Pot pressure cookers to sterilize their airway clearance devices. I strongly encourage you to read her post. It’s thorough, evidence-based, and compassionate.

I share the same concern and have mentioned it before. If a manufacturer clearly states that their devices have not been tested in a pressure cooker, why do people feel comfortable using it? With all the precautions we take, it just doesn’t make sense.

I understand the fear. When you live with a chronic lung condition, the worry about bacteria is real. It’s easy to assume that more heat means better sterilization. A pressure cooker even sounds like a medical-grade solution because hospitals use autoclaves, which also rely on heat and pressure.

But there’s a crucial difference: medical autoclaves are calibrated, tested, and used only with materials designed to withstand those conditions.

When I managed medical clinics, we used professional autoclaves in every office. They were intended for metal surgical tools, not plastic. We always followed manufacturer guidelines because we understood that materials have limits.

Even if a device doesn’t melt, exposure to extreme heat can cause microscopic cracks where bacteria and biofilm can hide. These are areas you’ll never see and cannot fully clean.

Over time, those hidden spots can become a source of ongoing contamination.

But it’s not just the cracks. When plastic is repeatedly exposed to high heat, it can begin to chemically degrade. That breakdown can release compounds into the air you breathe and into the mist you nebulize.

These substances may increase lung inflammation and could affect not only your health but also the wellbeing of your family and pets.

PLEASE DO NOT PUT YOUR DEVICES IN A PRESSURE COOKER.

To read Amy’s full post, visit connect.ntminfo.org

Linda Esposito