POWDER FOR CLEANING AN INTERNAL BODY PART AND/OR AN IMPLANT, METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAID TYPE OF POWDER AND SUITABLE USES

Abstract

A powder for cleaning an internal body part and/or an implant, in particular by means of a powder jet device, wherein the powder is sterile as a result of a sterilizing process.

Claims

1. A powder for cleaning an internal body part and/or an implant by means of a powder jet device, wherein the powder is sterile as a result of a sterilizing process.

2. The powder according to claim 1, wherein the powder comprises sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, erythritol, trehalose and/or glycine.

3. The powder according to claim 1, wherein the powder has an average grain size between 5 and 100 μm.

4. The powder according to claim 1, wherein the powder is water soluble, the water solubility at a temperature of 20° C. being above 1 g/l.

5. The powder according to claim 1, wherein the powder further comprises amorphous silica (silicon dioxide) in a volume ratio of 0.1 to 2.5%.

6. A method for producing a sterile powder, comprising the steps of: providing a powder and sterilizing the powder in a sterilizing process.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the powder is exposed to an ethylene oxide gas in the sterilizing method.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the powder is exposed to a sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) and/or a chlorhexidine (CHX) solution.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein in the sterilizing process the powder is heated to a temperature between 110° C. and 210° C.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the powder is exposed to β, γ, X-rays and/or UV-radiation in the sterilizing process.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the powder is exposed to a sterilizing vapor in the sterilization process.

12. The sterile powder according to claim 1 configured to be used in a powder jet device for cleaning an internal body part or an implant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0045] Further advantages and characteristics will arise from the following description of preferred embodiments of the disclosure while reference will be made to the accompanying figures. Individual characteristics of the individual embodiments may be combined within the scope of the disclosure.

[0046] In the figures:

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for producing a sterile powder according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] In FIG. 1 a schematic flow diagram of a process for producing a sterile powder 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In particular, it is a powder 1 which is for a powder jet device. Typically, a powder-air mixture is produced in such powder jet devices, the powder-air mixture being directed towards an internal body part or implant to be cleaned, for cleaning by the use of the powder jet device, and, for cleaning purposes, the powder 1 in the jet impinging on the internal body part or implant abrasively removes impurities or contaminations, respectively. It is also conceivable for the powder-air mixture to exit the powder jet device together with a fluid, the fluid being mixed with the powder-air mixture and/or enveloping the same. It is advantageous for the powder 1 to be sterilized prior to its use in the powder jet device outside the powder jet device in a sterilizing process 12, i.e. it will be freed from microorganisms such as bacteria and germs. This allows a powder 1 to be advantageously used when cleaning internal body parts or implants, in particular without the need of sterilizing or re-sterilizing the implant or internal body part after cleaning. In particular, the powder 1 is designed such that it does not damage a surface of the implant or the internal body part.

[0049] The powder 1 preferably has a density between 0.2 and 3 g/cm.sup.3, preferably between 0.2 and 2.4 g/cm.sup.3 and especially between 0.2 and 25 1.6 g/cm.sup.3. For example, it is a powder 1 comprising sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, erythritol, trehalose and/or glycine, said powder, in particular a powder comprising sodium bicarbonate, having an average grain size between 5 and 100 μm, preferably between 10 and 50 μm and particularly preferably substantially 17 μm. In particular, it has been shown that such powders 1 are also suitable for cleaning implants which, due to their high biocompatibility and ability to rapidly grow in, are susceptible to surface damage because the materials they are made of or coated with are porous and/or hydrophilic.

[0050] In the process shown in FIG. 1, a powder 1, in particular sodium bicarbonate having an average grain size of 17 μm, is provided in the beginning. This powder 1 will subsequently be positioned in a closed chamber 5 in which the sterilizing process is performed. For example, in the sterilization process, the powder is heated in chamber 5, exposed to electromagnetic radiation and/or vapor. It has been shown to be particularly advantageous for the powder 1, in particular sodium bicarbonate having an average grain size of 17 μm to be exposed to a gas comprising ethylene oxide. After a residence time of the gas comprising ethylene oxide in the closed chamber 5 has elapsed and after it has been withdrawn from the closed chamber 5, providing 13 the sterile powder 1 occurs. Preferably, the powder 1 is filled into a powder chamber for a powder jet device immediately after the sterilizing process 12, in particular into a sterile powder chamber, to avoid decontamination of the sterile powder 1 immediately after production thereof. For example, the closed chamber 5 comprises an outlet through which the powder 1 can immediately be guided into a powder chamber, which is compatible with a powder jet device, for example.