Method for sterilising many medical, surgical and pharmaceutical articles by the use of the removal of air followed by the flow of ethylene oxide in a closed cycle

摘要

Method of sterilisation by the use of the removal of air and the flow of ethylene oxide in a closed cycle. The invention relates to a new method of sterilisation by the use of ethylene oxide gas but in a closed cycle. This method consists in placing the articles to be sterilised in a hermetically closed sterilisation chamber from which as much air is drawn out as possible by means of a pump. Ethylene oxide can then arrive from a gas storage vessel connected to the sterilisation chamber to replace the air drawn out. This gas remains mixed with the articles for the period which the sterilisation requires while taking account of the relative humidity, the pressure, the temperature, the gas density and the like. After that, the ethylene oxide is withdrawn from the sterilisation chamber and compressed in the abovementioned storage vessel. The air then enables it to replace the gas and the chamber opens. Advantages of the invention: use of the same quantity of gas an infinite number of times without any loss or leakage. No contamination of the surrounding air results therefrom. No danger of skin inflammation after the use of the gas. Possibility of a number of successive sterilisation operations without needing to wash the sterilisation chamber with inert gases. IMAGE