A method of sterilizing an article such as a flexible endoscope is performed in a sterilization chamber. A vacuum is applied in the sterilization chamber while the article is contained in the sterilization chamber. A sterilant is then introduced into the sterilization chamber. The pressure within the sterilization chamber is incrementally increased to provide a step-wise transition from a high vacuum state to atmospheric pressure. The article is thereby sterilized.

The invention relates to a sealed container (1) comprising a flange (5, 6) that delimits a through-passage having an axial axis in the container, a door (7) movably mounted on the flange (5, 6), and a first annular seal (13) located between the flange (5, 6) and the door (7), the flange, the door and the first seal forming a sealed connection device that can be connected to a complementary connection device on a sterile enclosure by bayonet connection means in order to allow sterile communication between the sealed container and the sterile enclosure, characterized in that the container (1) includes a protective cover (20) on the connection device, said protective cover being forcibly clipped onto the container, and in that the container further includes contact pressure means arranged between the protective cover (20) and the connection device so as to apply contact pressure to the connection device in the axial direction proportional to the clipping force.

The present invention relates to a system for the disinfection of containers in a blowing and filling system of the containers with a product, in particular a system for the internal disinfection of the containers by means of ultraviolet-C radiation LED emitters.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to storage assemblies including at least part of a delivery device and an implant. The storage assemblies are configured to trap sterilizing ethylene oxide gas using its high water solubility and converting the escaped ethylene oxide to less detrimental ethylene glycol and ethylene chlorohydrin to protect the implant from damage. In one example, the storage assembly includes an inner container housing the implant and sterilizing fluid and an outer container positioned over the inner container, wherein the outer container is at least partially filled with aqueous water. The implant may be a prosthetic heart valve. Aspects of the disclosure also relate to methods of sterilizing the storage assemblies of the disclosure.

A method of sterilizing an article includes receiving the article in a sterilization chamber. The method also includes applying a vacuum to a first pressure less than 100 torr. The method also includes introducing a sterilant into the sterilization chamber. The method also includes maintaining the first pressure in the sterilization chamber for a first period of time. The method also includes venting the sterilization chamber to a second pressure less than 100 torr. The method also includes maintaining the second pressure. The method also includes venting the sterilization chamber to a third pressure. The method also includes maintaining the third pressure. The method also includes venting the sterilization chamber to atmospheric pressure. The method further includes between venting and maintaining steps applying a vacuum to a fourth pressure less than 100 torr, introducing additional sterilant, and maintaining the fourth pressure.

A fine particle sprayer including a nozzle for dispersing a liquid disinfectant into a spray plume of droplets and a means for directing pressurized air below the spray plume to increase droplet transfer efficiency, and above and around the spray plume to prevent errant droplets from drifting toward an operator. A sprayer system includes a sprayer, a housing, and a blower that may be removably attached to the sprayer for generating an air stream below the droplets to improve droplet transfer efficiency.

An air-drying storage device for cleaned slides, including a storage box and a slide rack; an upper right corner in the storage box is fixedly provided with a miniature air intaking pump, a lower left corner in the storage box is fixedly provided with a miniature air expelling pump; a plurality of positioning plates are arranged on left and right inner walls of the storage box; the slide rack is detachably arranged between the positioning plates; an upper end of the storage box is provided with an electric control box configured to controls entire circuit. The air expelling pump and the air expelling pump accelerate the air flow rate inside the storage box; a sealing device and a magnetic device are arranged between edges of the box doors and edges of the storage box to prevent air leakage; an ultraviolet sterilization lamp sterilize the inside of the storage box.

A first alternative to a composition for preventing or retarding degradation of a functional coating on a medical device includes an antioxidant selected from gallic acid or a derivative thereof. A second alternative to a composition for preventing or retarding degradation of a functional coating on a medical device includes carboxymethyl cellulose or a derivative or salt thereof. The use of the compositions for preventing or retarding degradation of a functional coating on a medical device from reactive species generated during exposure of radiation, and a wetting agent comprising the compositions, are also provided. The wetting agent prevents or retards the hydrolytic degradation of the coating during the intended shelf-life of the wetted coated product.

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 sterile container for sterilizable medical goods includes a receiving space for the medical goods and a data acquisition unit for acquiring parameter data of influencing variables that act on the sterile container. The sterile container includes an NFC module with at least one sensor for acquiring sterility-relevant and/or sterilization-relevant data and a data logger for recording and storing data from the sensor at a recording interval. The sterile container can be monitored by a method that is automatic and sterile-container-specific.