The present invention provides a breathing assistance apparatus that has a convenient and effective method of cleaning internal conduits inside the apparatus. The breathing assistance apparatus is preferably a gases supply and humidification device. The cleaning method is a method of disinfection that is automated so minimal training is required to disinfect in particular an internal elbow conduit within the device. It is therefore not necessary to dismantle the gases supply and humidification device, therefore, inadvertent damage to the internal parts of the device is avoided. The present invention also provides a method of disinfecting a heated breathing conduit and a patient interface.

The present invention provides a breathing assistance apparatus that has a convenient and effective method of cleaning internal conduits inside the apparatus. The breathing assistance apparatus is preferably a gases supply and humidification device. The cleaning method is a method of disinfection that is automated so minimal training is required to disinfect in particular an internal elbow conduit within the device. It is therefore not necessary to dismantle the gases supply and humidification device, therefore, inadvertent damage to the internal parts of the device is avoided. The present invention also provides a method of disinfecting a heated breathing conduit and a patient interface.

A purification device for cleaning one or more surfaces of a vehicle, the purification device configured to apply a purification process onto the one or more surfaces of the vehicle, the purification device includes a heating device for increasing a temperature of the surface.

Methods are provided that include positioning a disinfection apparatus in proximity to a cabinet, wherein the disinfection apparatus has a base supporting a germicidal source and the base includes components operationally coupled to the germicidal source for operating the germicidal source. The method further includes inserting the germicidal source into the cabinet such that at least a portion of the base is retained exterior to the cabinet and is operationally coupled to the germicidal source. Moreover, the method includes placing one or more items into the cabinet, closing the cabinet with the germicidal source and the one or more items in the cabinet and the base of the disinfection apparatus exterior to the cabinet, and then subsequently starting the disinfection source such that the germicidal source emits a germicide into the cabinet. Systems and cabinets used to conduct the aforementioned methods are also provided.

Single use medical devices that incorporate one or more destruct elements configured to deform during an autoclave cycle, rendering the device visually damaged or unusable. The use of such destruct elements prevents reuse (knowingly or unwittingly) of single use devices on patients after off-label autoclaving.

Single use medical devices that incorporate one or more destruct elements configured to deform during an autoclave cycle, rendering the device visually damaged or unusable. The use of such destruct elements prevents reuse (knowingly or unwittingly) of single use devices on patients after off-label autoclaving.

A gas sterilizable syringe includes an enclosure having walls that define a fluid chamber. A flowable material is disposed within the fluid chamber of the enclosure. A plunger is assembled with the enclosure and is moveable toward a distal end of the enclosure for dispensing the flowable material. One or more apertures are formed in at least one of the walls of the enclosure. A gas permeable barrier covers at least one of the apertures formed in at least one of the walls of the enclosure for enabling sterilization gases to pass through the at least one aperture covered by the gas permeable barrier while preventing the flowable material from passing through the at least one of aperture. The gas permeable barrier is permeable to the sterilization gases and impermeable to the flowable material disposed within the fluid chamber of the enclosure.

A method for sterilizing closure elements (3) for packaging containers (1), wherein the closure elements (3) are collected individually by a holding mechanism (25) in the region of a sterile chamber (12) and are placed onto an opening (4) of a filled packaging container (1) and connected to the latter, and wherein the closure elements (3), while being conveyed inside the sterile chamber (12), are treated by means of at least one sterilizing medium (6, 7, 52) during a sterilizing process.

A method for sterilizing closure elements (3) for packaging containers (1), wherein the closure elements (3) are collected individually by a holding mechanism (25) in the region of a sterile chamber (12) and are placed onto an opening (4) of a filled packaging container (1) and connected to the latter, and wherein the closure elements (3), while being conveyed inside the sterile chamber (12), are treated by means of at least one sterilizing medium (6, 7, 52) during a sterilizing process.

Systems are disclosed which include processor-executable program instructions for receiving data regarding characteristics of an area or a room and determining, based on the received data, operating parameter/s for one or more disinfection sources to disinfect the area/room. The data may include data regarding non-physical characteristics and/or physical characteristics of the area/room. In some embodiments, data regarding a quantity and/or type of at least a subset of the plurality of disinfection sources for disinfecting the room may also be considered for determining the operating parameter/s. In addition or alternatively, the data may be in relation to multiple disinfection sources in the area/room. In any case, a system is also disclosed which facilities power redirection among multiple disinfection sources upon detecting a given area has received a predetermined dose of ultraviolet light.