초록 ▼

A method of sterilizing a hollow endoscope having a conduit is disclosed. An end of the endoscope conduit is connected to a sealed vessel such that the endoscope conduit is in fluid communication with the sealed vessel. The endoscope is placed in a sterilization chamber and the chamber sealed. The s

A method of sterilizing a hollow endoscope having a conduit is disclosed. An end of the endoscope conduit is connected to a sealed vessel such that the endoscope conduit is in fluid communication with the sealed vessel. The endoscope is placed in a sterilization chamber and the chamber sealed. The sterilization chamber is run through sterilization cycles in which the pressure within the chamber is varied. During the pressure variation within the sterilizing chamber, sterilizing gas is drawn from the sterilizing chamber via the endoscope conduit into the vessel. During the pressure variation the inner surface of the endoscope is subjected to sterilizing conditions in addition to the outer surface of the endoscope. In a preferred embodiment the sterilizing conditions are provided for by ozone gas in the presence of a humid atmosphere of at least 95% water saturation. The sterilization process is operatively simple and reduces the chance of human errors caused by false interpretation and handling. The ozone sterilization method of the invention requires substantially no aeration or cooling down of sterilized instruments so that they can be used immediately following the sterilization cycle. The present invention permits hospitals to reduce the costs associated with maintaining an expensive endoscope inventory.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for sterilizing within a sterilization chamber a hollow endoscope having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal passage there between, the method comprising the steps of:(i) sealing one end of said proximal and distal ends of the endoscope to a sealed vessel for fluid communication

1. A method for sterilizing within a sterilization chamber a hollow endoscope having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal passage there between, the method comprising the steps of:(i) sealing one end of said proximal and distal ends of the endoscope to a sealed vessel for fluid communication between the passage and the vessel to form an endoscope-vessel combination; (ii) disposing the endoscope-vessel combination within the sterilization chamber such that the other end of said proximal and distal ends is in fluid communication with the sterilization chamber; (iii) supplying a sterilization gas to the sterilization chamber; (iv) effecting a pressure difference between the internal volume of the vessel and the sterilizing chamber, such that the pressure in the internal volume of the vessel is below the pressure in the sterilization chamber whereby the vessel, upon exposure to the pressure difference, maintains an internal volume for causing sterilizing gas supplied to the sterilizing chamber to flow through the internal passage of the endoscope into the vessel.