A reusable apparatus, such as a medical instrument or tool, is decontaminated by applying pressure waves with direct contact of the pressure wave applicator to the reusable apparatus in an open bath in a sufficient dosage to remove contamination but without adversely affecting the ability to reuse the apparatus.

A cartridge comprising layers of adsorbent sheet is described. The cartridge includes an indicator that characterizes the consumption state of the adsorbent within the cartridge. The indicator is applied in a way such that discrete areas of indicator are visible. These discontinuous areas of indicator may be applied to the outside surface of the cartridge. Alternatively, the discontinuous areas may be formed by cutting windows in the outermost layer of the cartridge and either coating indicator on the layer beneath the window, placing an indicator layer between the window and the layer beneath it or filling the window with an indicating plug of material so that the indicator is visible from the outside of the cartridge. The indicator layer and indicator plug embodiments allow the use of any indicator with any adsorbent.

A cartridge comprising layers of adsorbent sheet is described. The cartridge includes an indicator that characterizes the consumption state of the adsorbent within the cartridge. The indicator is applied in a way such that discrete areas of indicator are visible. These discontinuous areas of indicator may be applied to the outside surface of the cartridge. Alternatively, the discontinuous areas may be formed by cutting windows in the outermost layer of the cartridge and either coating indicator on the layer beneath the window, placing an indicator layer between the window and the layer beneath it or filling the window with an indicating plug of material so that the indicator is visible from the outside of the cartridge. The indicator layer and indicator plug embodiments allow the use of any indicator with any adsorbent.

Methods and systems are provided for delivering anesthetic agent to a patient. In one embodiment, an anesthetic vaporizer includes a sump configured to hold a liquid anesthetic agent; an ultrasonic transducer coupled to a bottom of the sump and at least partially disposed within the sump; a vaporizing chamber fluidically coupled to the sump; and a heating element coupled to the vaporizing chamber and configured to increase a temperature of a surface disposed within the vaporizing chamber.

A ventilator having a blower head comprising at least one fan wheel and a housing having blower nozzles, as well as a drive device. The blower head together with the drive device is configured to convey a patient gas and the blower head and the drive device are detachably coupled to one another via a coupling.

Systems and methods are provided for detecting unacceptable accelerations by an anesthetic vaporizer, such as due to drops and mishandling. In one embodiment, a method for an anesthetic vaporizer comprises determining a quantitative acceleration of the anesthetic vaporizer based on acceleration vectors measured by an accelerometer coupled within the anesthetic vaporizer, and outputting an alert responsive to the quantitative acceleration exceeding an acceleration threshold. In this way, drop-related degradation may be identified in a timely fashion.

A system for sterilization of a medical device comprising at least one medical device and at least one sterilization device. The sterilization device comprises at least one plasma generator and at least one water source and/or water vapor source for providing water and/or water vapor. The sterilization device is configured to generate plasma-activated water vapor and the system is configured to at least partially conduct the plasma-activated water vapor through the medical device.

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for delivering respiratory treatment to a patient. For example, a treatment system may include a mechanism for delivering a positive pressure breath to a patient, and one or more limb flow control assemblies which modulate gas flow to and from the patient. Exemplary treatment techniques are embodied in anesthesia machines, mechanical ventilators, and manual ventilators.

An oxygenation system for a ventilation system comprises an inlet for receiving oxygenation gas at an oxygenation gas flow rate into an oxygenator, and an exhaust gas remover to remove exhaust gas at an exhaust gas flow rate from the oxygenator, and one or more flow controllers for controlling the exhaust gas flow rate relative to the oxygenation gas flow rate. This allows the amount of total gas entering the oxygenator and the amount of total gas removed from the oxygenator to be controlled with greater accuracy.

An oxygenation system for a ventilation system comprises an inlet for receiving oxygenation gas at an oxygenation gas flow rate into an oxygenator, and an exhaust gas remover to remove exhaust gas at an exhaust gas flow rate from the oxygenator, and one or more flow controllers for controlling the exhaust gas flow rate relative to the oxygenation gas flow rate. This allows the amount of total gas entering the oxygenator and the amount of total gas removed from the oxygenator to be controlled with greater accuracy.