Which of the following is NOT a reason for sterilizing instruments?

Sterilizing instruments is a critical part of medical procedures, primarily aimed at preventing infection transmission, ensuring patient safety, and enhancing surgical efficacy. Each of these reasons highlights the importance of cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilizing to eliminate pathogens that could lead to infection or complications during a surgical procedure.

Maintaining instrument longevity, while important for the practical use of instruments in healthcare, does not directly relate to the primary goals of sterilization. Sterilization is focused on eliminating microorganisms to protect patients and healthcare workers from infections. Though proper sterilization practices can contribute to the overall health and maintenance of instruments in the long term, it is not a primary reason for performing sterilization; instead, it pertains more to the management and care of surgical tools. Thus, choice related to instrument longevity stands out as not aligning with the fundamental purposes of sterilizing instruments in the context of patient care and safety.