Method for disinfecting pressurized assisted breathing machines and maintaining said machine's air quality

Abstract

A method for disinfecting a contaminated pressurized assisted breathing machine, namely a sleep apnea machine including said machine's components and maintaining said machine's fluid quality between use on patients, which comprises the steps of preparing an aqueous solution comprising alcohol-glycerin-chlorhexidine gluconate-dye-flavoring agent; purging and removing machine's existing fluid from said machine and said machine's components; introducing the said aqueous solution into said machine and said machine's components; purging with pressurized fluid by removing said aqueous solution and contaminants from said machine and said machine's components; introducing pressurized fluid into said machine and said machine's components for flushing and rinsing said machine and said machine's components.

Claims

1. A method for disinfecting a contaminated pressurized assisted breathing machine including said machine components and maintaining said machine fluid quality between use on patients, comprising the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous solution comprising 5-35% by volume of alcohol, 10-50% by volume of glycerin, 0.06-2% by volume of chlorhexidine gluconate, dye and flavoring agent; b) purging with pressurized fluid by removing fluid from said machine and said machine components; c) introducing the aqueous solution of step a) into said purged machine and said purged machine components; d) purging and removing said aqueous solution and contaminants from said machine and said machine components with pressurized fluid; e) introducing pressurized fluid into said machine and said machine components for flushing and rinsing said machine and said machine components.

2. A method for maintaining a pressurized sleep apnea machine air quality between use on patients, wherein said sleep apnea machine components includes a sleep apnea machine reservoir, sleep apnea machine tubing, sleep apnea machine breathing mask, sleep apnea machine air filter comprising the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous solution comprising 5-35% by volume of alcohol, 10-50% by volume of glycerin, 0.06-2% by volume of chlorhexidine gluconate, dye and flavoring agent; b) purging and removing water from said sleep apnea machine and said machine components; c) introducing the aqueous solution of step a) into said sleep apnea machine and said machine components; d) purging and removing said aqueous solution and contaminants from said sleep apnea machine and said machine components; e) introducing water into said sleep apnea machine and said machine components for flushing and rinsing said machine and said machine components.

3. A method for disinfecting a contaminated pressurized sleep apnea machine including said machine'components between use on patients, wherein said sleep apnea machine's components includes a sleep apnea machine reservoir, sleep apnea machine tubing, sleep apnea machine breathing mask, and sleep apnea machine air filter comprising the steps of: a) preparing an aqueous solution comprising 5-35% by volume of alcohol, 10-50% by volume of glycerin, 0.06-2% by volume of chlorhexidine gluconate, dye and flavoring agent; b) purging and removing water from said sleep apnea machine and said machine components; c) introducing the aqueous solution of step a) into said sleep apnea machine and said machine components; d) purging and removing said aqueous solution and contaminants from said sleep apnea machine and said machine's components; e) introducing water into said sleep apnea machine and said machine components for flushing and rinsing said machine and said machine components.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(1) This invention's disinfecting method for pressurized assisted breathing machines, namely sleep apnea machines helps maintain said machine's air quality, the functioning of machine and protect the health of said machine's user, the patient.

(2) This invention's disinfectant composition is an aqueous solution comprising 5-35% by volume of alcohol, 10-50% by volume of glycerin, 0.06-2% by volume of chlorhexidine gluconate, dye and flavoring agent.

(3) This composition's ingredient, alcohol, is a denatured ethanol, which comprises denaturants. This composition's denaturants are flavoring agents that indicate when this invention's method using said disinfectant composition is performed incorrectly.

(4) This composition's ingredient, chlorhexidine gluconate, is a disinfectant and is commercially available in liquid form as chlorhexidine.

(5) This composition's ingredient, glycerin, is a trihydric alcohol and a humectant.

(6) This composition's ingredients glycerin and the alcohol denaturants help masks the foul odors that are caused by this contaminated fluid encompassing system.

(7) This composition's ingredients: chlorhexidine gluconate and alcohol (glycerin, a trihydric alcohol, and the ethanol alcohol) are preservatives for this composition.

(8) This composition's percentage volumes of the glycerin (trihydric alcohol), and chlorhexidine gluconate are this composition's disinfectant ingredients when formulated together. This method using this composition creates both a physical and chemical reaction on the microbial contamination and biofilm in this sleep apnea machine and said machine's components.

(9) A physical reaction occurs when this method using said composition's disinfectant ingredient, glycerin, also a humectant, attracts water from within the biofilm cell structure causing a change in the physical properties.

(10) A chemical reaction occurs when this method using said composition's disinfectant ingredient, chlorhexidine gluconate, alters the biofilm.

(11) This composition may include a dye, a cosmetic ingredient or a coloring agent. This composition's dye serves as an indictor to show a different color from said machine's encompassing fluid.

(12) The present invention provides a method using this invention's disinfectant composition comprising of purging said machine and said machine's components, adding said disinfectant composition into empty said machine, and flushing/rinsing said machine. This method ensures that this composition is not diluted and that this composition directly contacts the microbial contamination and biofilm in this machine.

(13) This contaminated sleep apnea machine and said machine's components will bacterially penetrate and contaminate this machine's air quality. Disinfecting this machine and said components routinely with this invention's method will maintain and control physical and chemical properties of this machine's air.

(14) This method's first step, purging sleep apnea machine, removes said machine's encompassing fluid by a gravity-fed system; and/or a pressurized gas; and/or purging with pressurized gas combined with vacuum suction.

(15) This method's second step, adding this invention's composition into said machine's empty components ensures this disinfectant composition is not diluted and that this composition directly contacts the microbial contamination and biofilm in this machine. This composition remains in the machine for a period of time to have an effect upon the microbial contamination and biofilm. Furthermore, this composition will remain in said machine and components when this machine is not being utilized comprising of consecutive days until this machine is ready to be utilized again.

(16) After this period of time of disinfecting this machine and said components is complete, this method's final step, flushing/rinsing said machine adds a fluid into said machine's components. Water may be used as a fluid to flush/rinse said machine and said machine's components; and/or flushing/rinsing said machine is achieved by using a pressurized gas; and/or this method of flushing/rinsing said machine is achieved by a gravity-fed system.

(17) After this invention's method is completed using said disinfectant composition comprising this composition's ingredients, glycerin and the denaturants from the denatured ethanol, help masks the foul odors that are caused by the microbial contamination and biofilm in said contaminated machine and said components.

(18) This invention's disinfectant composition adheres to the inner walls of the sleep apnea machine tubing and sleep apnea mask surface to prevent buildup of contamination. This invention's disinfectant composition breaks down the layers of contamination that is attached to the inner walls of the sleep apnea machine tubing and mask. This invention's disinfectant composition cleans the contaminated surfaces of the sleep apnea machine's water reservoir and cleans the sleep apnea machine's air filter by immersion. Permeated cloth with invention's disinfectant composition stuffed inside the mask to prevent dust and other debris buildup from entering the tubing when not in use.

(19) The invention's preferred method describes in greater detail when cleaning the sleep apnea machine's components. The machine should be unplugged from the electrical power source. The machine's components include the sleep apnea machine tubing, sleep apnea machine mask, sleep apnea machine reservoir, and sleep apnea machine filter should be placed on a dry flat surface near a sink. Leave the sleep apnea machine at its operational site. Step 1: Remove sleep apnea machine's water reservoir and disconnect sleep apnea machine's tubing. Step 2: Dispose water from the sleep apnea's reservoir and empty into nearby sink. Step 3: Disassemble reservoir: Remove reservoir's top and reservoir's inner platform in order to have access to the reservoir's base. Step 4: Saturate clean cloth with invention's disinfectant and wipe the inner walls of the empty reservoir, inside of the reservoir's top, and both sides of the reservoir's platform. STEP 5: Re-saturate cloth with said disinfectant and wipe the sleep apnea machine's breathing mask internally and externally. Step 6: Place mask inside empty reservoir. Step 7: Pour said invention's disinfectant inside said mask. Step 8: Take the end of the tubing that was connected to the sleep apnea machine and now plug that tubing opening with a rubber plunge stopper. Step 9: Take the other end of the tubing and pour the invention's disinfectant into this tubing's opening. After invention's disinfect is poured then plug that tubing's opening with the other rubber plunge stopper. Step 10: Each hand should hold an end of the sleep apnea machine tubing. Move each hand up and down 3 times so the invention's disinfectant coats the entire inside of the tubing's inner walls. This is accomplished by lowering one of the tubing and raising the other end of the tubing. Alternating this movement moves the invention's disinfectant through the tubing. Step 11: After completing this coating, place the tubing on a flat surface. Allow the invention's disinfectant to stay inside the tubing over the next 8 hours. Step 12: Place the sleep apnea machine air filter inside the reservoir. Saturate the filter with the invention's disinfectant. Immediately squeeze dry the air filter and place the air filter on a clean absorbent cloth and dry flat surface. Step 13: After eight hours, remove the rubber plunge stopper from the end of the tubing that connects to the sleep apnea machine. Raise the tube's opening and drain the invention's disinfectant into a nearby sink. Step 14: Flush and Rinse the tubing with water from preferred water source. Step 15: Assemble the sleep apnea machine components back together. Step 16: Fill the sleep apnea machine reservoir with preferred water and turn ON the machine. Turn machine OFF if you hear gurgling noise in the tubing then drain the tubing or disassemble the mask. Turn ON the machine. Place the machine on a countertop, have the mask end of the tubing in a lower position and then allow the air to push any remaining water from the tubing.