PSI patent allowed for medical device sterilisation

摘要

Particle Sciences Inc (PSI), a US contract research organisation, has received Notice of Allowance for a method of sterilising medical devices. The patent covers the use of free radical generating moieties in or on the medical device. The firm says free radicals are an effective mode of sterilisation, which means, for example, that a catheter coated with a free radical generating particle would, upon proper stimulation, generate surface free radicals ' to eliminate any early biofilm that might be forming. Ultraviolet light delivered to the catheter would be an example of a viable energy source to stimulate free radical production.