The scalpels used to cut open a patient having heart surgery will be placed in an autoclave for steam sterilization because they

Steam sterilization in an autoclave uses heat and moisture, so the scalpels must be able to withstand the heat and not be damaged by moisture. Because they will cut into a patient’s tissues, they are critical instruments and must be sterile. All three statements are true, so the answer is “all of the above.”

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