What is the shelf life of sterilized instruments?

Storage practices for wrapped sterilized instruments can be either date- or
event-related. Although some facilities continue to date every sterilized
package and use shelf-life practices (first in, first out), other facilities have
switched to event-related practices. This approach recognizes that the product
should remain sterile until some event causes the item to become contaminated
(e.g., a package becomes torn or wet). All packages containing sterile items
should be inspected before use to verify that the package is not wet, torn, or
damaged in any way. If it is, the instruments should be re-cleaned, packaged in
new wrap, and re-sterilized.