FI83927C - STERILIZATIONSFOERFARANDE OCH -ANORDNING. - Google Patents

Description

83927 1 Sterilization method and apparatus

Sterilisationsförfarande och -anordning The invention relates to a sterilization device comprising a fully or loosely closed non-pressurized cabinet with an openable door or hatch and a heating device and a container for the substance to be sterilized, an outlet for removing gas from the device and possibly an inlet for introducing sterilant.

10

The invention also relates to a method for sterilizing objects with peracetic acid in a cabinet comprising a non-pressurized cabinet, a heating device and a container for the substance to be sterilized, in which method the gas is sucked out of the device by natural draft.

15

Applicant's FI patent applications 874366 and FI-890551 disclose sterilization methods and devices in which the devices to be sterilized are enclosed in a sterilization device which is heated to a suitable temperature and in which peracetic acid is placed / introduced as a sterilizing agent. The device according to these patent applications 874366 and 890551, in which sterilization is carried out, is a completely or loosely closed non-pressurized cabinet with a heating device and a container for sterilant. It uses a strong oxidizing chemical, peracetic acid, to sterilize the means.

25

Thus, an embodiment of the inventions according to FI applications 874366 and 890551 is a completely or loosely enclosed non-pressurized cabinet which is heated to a temperature of about 40 ° C by means of an incandescent lamp, a hot water coil or a low electrical resistance. Peracetic acid is placed in a flat container, e.g. a bowl, 30 from which it evaporates due to the heat generated through the bottom of the cabinet.

In these devices, after the sterilization has been completed, the cabinet is emptied in a suitable manner, e.g. using a water vacuum cleaner with a ventilation hose, e.g. Peracetic acid does not cause environmental damage, but decomposes into water, 35 oxygen and vinegar. The characteristic odor of peracetic acid evaporates quickly from the instruments.

2,83927

Applicant's patent application 892124 is a further development of the above-mentioned devices with a heating device under the cabinet, a gas vessel at the bottom of the cabinet and a hose connected to the gas outlet, which is connected to the outside air or ventilation to provide natural draft.

5

It is an object of the present invention to further develop the device according to patent application 892124 in such a way that it is even more convenient and advantageous.

The sterilization device according to the invention is thus mainly characterized in that the device is part of a continuous ventilation system so that air is introduced into it, preferably from the lower part of the device, which then exits through the outlet together with the sterilant.

The method according to the invention is again mainly characterized in that the method is continuous in that air is introduced into the device, preferably from the lower part of the device, which is then removed by ventilation at the top of the device together with the gassed sterilant.

20

Preferred embodiments of the invention have the features of the subclaims.

Since air is conducted from the lower part of the device in the sterilizer according to the invention, it is more advantageous than previous sterilizers, since the with air, the evaporation rate of the sterilizing agent can be easily adjusted. Different articles require different sterilant concentration and sterilization time, so this is a significant advantage.

The sterilization system according to the invention is thus open at both ends and is part of a continuous ventilation system. The invention is particularly suitable for sterilizing tubular bodies, since the air supplied from the lower part of the device provides the desired sterilization time and the concentration of sterilant in the cabinet, since tubular bodies require a longer sterilization time. Ko. in particular, tubular objects can be sterilized by means of a second embodiment 3 83927 of the invention, in which a fan is connected to the sterilant inlet line of the sterilizer, by means of which air can be efficiently led to the objects.

The sterilant can be discharged into a normal air duct, as it decomposes into harmless environmental products, i.e. water, oxygen and acetic acid.

Yet another advantage of the sterilizer according to the invention over the prior art devices is that previously known devices have the risk of evaporating too much sterilant at once, there is a risk of explosion, but with the continuous device according to the invention, which is connected to a ventilation system. , there is no such danger.

In the following, the invention will be described with reference to the figures, which are not intended to limit the invention.

Figure 1 shows the concentration of sterilant in the device as a function of time, which shows that the peak concentration is reached thanks to the introduced air already after 3-4 hours, after which the concentration decreases steadily when the substance runs out.

In Figures 2 to 5, the sterilization cabinet is generally indicated by the reference number 1. The means to be sterilized are placed in the cabinet 1 through an openable door 3 which is open in these figures. The objects to be sterilized are placed, for example, on a grate-like shelf 9. A loose hose 8 and possibly a valve 2 are connected to the top of the cabinet.

In the embodiments of Figures 2 and 4, the hose 8 extends in the vicinity of the ventilation valve 16 in the upper part 30 of the room or in the vicinity of the suction fan. The walls of the cabinet 1 are heated to a temperature of about 40 ° C by a heating element 4. The heating wall has, for example, an electric lamp, a resistance rod, a water jacket surrounding the cabinet or a resistance wire jacket. A peracetic acid container 12 with a sterilizing agent is placed in the cabinet under the shelf 9 on top of the cabinet bottom 35 plate 10 from which it evaporates. In the embodiments of Figures 2 and 4, the cabinet is connected to a ventilation system, and below it 83 8327 air is continuously supplied through a duct 14. In the embodiments of Figures 3 and 5, air is circulated in the sterilizer by its own circulation system. The line 14 preferably has a valve 11 by means of which the air supply and thus the concentration of acetic acid and the sterilization time can be adjusted.

In the embodiments of Figures 2 and 4, the cabinet is emptied by natural draft through said hose 8 and the peracetic acid vessel 12 with water is emptied into the rinsing basin. In all embodiments, a fan 13 can also be connected to the line 14, by means of which, for example, a mixture of air and sterilant 10 can be efficiently passed through a tubular object. In the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5, the hoses to be sterilized are placed in holes in the shelf 9, thereby preventing gas from passing through other than the hoses.

In the following, we present an exemplary embodiment to demonstrate the operation of the invention.

SU0RITUSESIMERKK1

Sterilizable instruments, all of which were high heat resistant as used in the surgeries, were placed in a sterilization cabinet on a shelf. The walls of the cabinet were heated to 40 ° C and then a peracetic acid vessel containing a 40% peracetic acid solution was placed under the shelf. Air was passed through the cabinet and the volatile sterilant sterilized the containers, which was checked with a spore sample placed in connection with the sterilizers. The results and experiments are summarized in the following table. Sterilization was successful in all experiments and the sterilization time in all experiments was 12 h and the amount of sterilant was 5 ml.

30 35 5 5 83927

Experiment Objects to be sterilized Spore- Answer No. wire 1 Cystoscope optics in a tin box on each paper 1 sterile 2 Cystoscope optics in a double flex bag 1 sterile 3 - "1 sterile 10 4 Quantity gypsum package. Double bag. Flexo window Flexo window up 1 sterile 5 sterile double bag, middle 1 sterile 6 Yarn package flexo bag, flexo window downwards 1 sterile 15 71 pieces of cystic optical paper middle 1 sterile 8 1 sterile 20 The following are claims within which the various details of the invention may vary within the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

A sterilization device comprising a fully or loosely closed non-pressurized cabinet (1) with an openable door or hatch (3) and a heating device (4) and a container (12) for a sterilant, an outlet (6) for removing gas from the device and optionally an inlet for introducing a sterilant into the device (30), characterized in that the device is part of a continuous ventilation system by introducing (14) air, preferably from the lower part of the device, which then exits through said outlet (6) together with the sterilant. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that a loose hose (8) is connected to the gas outlet (6) in the cabinet, which is connected to the outside air or to a natural draft for ventilation. 15 Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the device has a recirculation system in which the air and the gas mixture inside are recirculated in the cabinet so as to provide a pressure difference between the ends of the hoses. 20 Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a valve (11) is connected to the air inlet (14) for regulating the incoming air. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a fan (13) is connected to the air inlet (14). A method for sterilizing articles with peracetic acid in a cabinet comprising a non-pressurized cabinet (1), a heating device (4) and a container 30 for the substance to be sterilized, characterized in that the method is continuous by introducing air into the device, preferably from the bottom with ventilation together with a gaseous sterilant. 7 83927 6,83927 Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that the gas is sucked out of the device by means of natural draft. Method according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the evaporation rate of the sterilant is controlled by the amount of air entering. Method according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the air supply to the device can also take place by means of a fan connected to the air supply. Method according to one of Claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the air contained in the cabinet and the gas mixture IS are introduced from their ends in order to sterilize the hoses. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the control takes place by means of nozzles. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the control takes place by means of a partition through which the hoses are inserted. 8 83927