STERILIZATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

• Main Authors: MARTEL, KARINE, DASSIE, NANCY, VALLIERES, JEAN-MARTIN, TREMBLAY, BRUNO, BEDARD, CLAUDIA, LEBLOND, HELENE, DUFRESNE, SYIVIE, MARTEL, CYNTHIA, ROBITAILLE, SIMON, GAGNE, MARIERISTINE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: 21.06.2017
• Subjects: CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL

A method of sterilizing an article by sequentially exposing the article to hydrogen peroxide and ozone is disclosed. The article is exposed under vacuum first to an evaporated aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and subsequently to an ozone containing gas. The exposure is carried out without reducing the water vapor content of the sterilization atmosphere, the water vapor content being derived from the aqueous solvent of the hydrogen peroxide solution and from the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. The complete sterilization process is carried out while the chamber remains sealed and without removal of any component of the sterilization atmosphere. For this purpose, the chamber is initially evacuated to a first vacuum pressure sufficient to cause evaporation of the aqueous hydrogen peroxide at the temperature of the chamber atmosphere. The chamber is then sealed for the remainder of the sterilization process and during all sterilant injection cycles. Keeping the chamber sealed and maintaining the hydrogen peroxide and its decomposition products in the chamber for the subsequent ozone sterilization step results in a synergistic increase in the sterilization efficiency and allows for the use of much lower sterilant amounts and sterilization cycle times than would be expected from using hydrogen peroxide and ozone in combination. Se describe un método para medir un volumen preseleccionado de peróxido de hidrógeno en un recipiente al vacío. El método comprende las etapas de conectar una vía del volumen conocido al recipiente al vacío para evacuar la vía; sellar la vía; unir la vía a un suministro de solución de peróxido de hidrógeno durante cierto período de tiempo suficiente para hacer entrar la solución de peróxido de hidrógeno a la vía evacuada y llenar la vía con la solución de peróxido de hidrógeno; sellar la vía; y repitir las etapas a) d) hasta que el volumen acumulativo de rellenos de la vía sea igual al volumen preseleccionado. El volumen de la vía es preferentemente de 15 µL a 75 µL. La esterilización se controla en una manera económica al evitar la necesidad de medios para cuantificar la concentración de peróxido de hidrógeno en la cámara.