Final answer:
The sterile technique is known as surgical asepsis, involving strict protocols to maintain a sterile field and prevent patient contamination, thus avoiding sepsis.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is also known as sterile technique is surgical asepsis. Surgical asepsis refers to the method of creating and maintaining a sterile field to prevent contamination of sterile surfaces, a critical consideration in various medical and laboratory settings. To ensure a sterile field, stringent protocols are followed, including the sterilization of equipment and supplies, proper handwashing, and the application of sterilants as necessary to remove or kill all microbes, including vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses.
Historically, the development of aseptic techniques can be linked back to the work of British surgeon Joseph Lister, who insisted on handwashing and cleanliness during surgery to decrease the incidence of post-surgical infections. In modern medical practice, surgical asepsis remains essential for preventing patient exposure to infection and reducing the risk of sepsis, a serious systemic response to infection. The Association of Surgical Technologists provides standards for aseptic technique, emphasizing its significance in healthcare.
In summary, surgical asepsis, or sterile technique, represents a set of procedures designed to maintain asepsis and is numero uno when compared to other options such as medical asepsis, which is generally less strict and aims at reducing the number of pathogens rather than eliminating them entirely.