DIALYSIS CONNECTOR AND CAP COMPATIBLE WITH GAS STERILIZATION

• US 20110064608A1
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter Healthcare SA (Baxter International Inc.), Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Ding, Yuanpang Samuel, Acikgoz, Serhan, Lee, Patrick Jong
• Granted Patent: US 8,617,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/081 Gamma radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/206 Ethylene oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/155 with treatment-fluid pumping means or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/1561 at least one cassette surface or portion thereof being flexible, e.g. the cassette having a rigid base portion with preformed channels and being covered with a foil
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/159 specially adapted for peritoneal dialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/169 using chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/28 Peritoneal dialysis ; Other peritoneal treatment, e.g. oxygenation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit

Abstract

A dialysis disposable sterilization method including: fitting a cap to a connector such that a cap/connector interface can hold a pressure; applying a sterilizing gas through an inside of the connector such that the gas flows through (i) the inside of the connector, (ii) around to the outside of the connector, (iii) past a stabilization rib, and (iv) into contact with one side of the cap/connector interface; and applying the sterilizing gas at an outside of the cap such that the sterilizing gas flows around a bottom of the cap and contacts an opposing side of the cap/connector interface.

Claims

1. A dialysis disposable sterilization method comprising:

fitting a cap to a connector such that a cap/connector interface can hold a pressure;

applying a sterilizing gas through an inside of the connector such that the gas flows through (i) the inside of the connector, (ii) around to the outside of the connector, (iii) past a stabilization rib, and (iv) into contact with one side of the cap/connector interface; and

applying the sterilizing gas at an outside of the cap such that the sterilizing gas flows around a bottom of the cap and contacts an opposing side of the cap/connector interface.

2. The sterilization method of claim 1, which includes applying the sterilizing gas through the inside of the connector and at the outside of the cap at the same time.

3. The sterilization method of claim 1, which includes applying the sterilizing gas through the inside of the connector and applying the sterilizing gas the outside of the cap at different times.

4. The sterilization method of claim 1, wherein fitting the cap to the connector includes press-fitting one of the cap or the connector over the cap/connector interface provided by the other of the cap and the connector.

5. The sterilization method of claim 1, which includes providing the stabilization rib on one of an inner wall of the cap or an outer wall of the connector.

6. The sterilization method of claim 1, which includes positioning the stabilizing rib such that the cap is at least substantially prevented from vibrating about the cap/connector interface.

7. The sterilization method of claim 1, wherein flowing the sterilization gas past the stabilizing rib includes flowing the gas through openings in the rib.

8. The sterilization method of claim 1, wherein flowing the sterilizing gas past the stabilizing rib includes flowing the gas along the rib.

9. The sterilization method of claim 1, wherein flowing the sterilization gas past the stabilization rib includes spiraling the gas past a thread-like stabilizing rib.

10. The sterilization method of claim 1, wherein flowing the sterilizing gas past the stabilizing rib includes flowing the gas past multiple stabilizing ribs.

11. The sterilization method of claim 1, which includes placing the connector and the cap inside a packaging configured to contain the sterilizing gas being applied at the outside of the gap.

12. A disposable dialysis apparatus comprising:

a connector;

a protective cap fitted onto the connector;

a sealing ring provided by one of the cap and the connector, the sealing ring forming a seal between the cap and the connector, the seal capable of holding pressure; and

a stabilization rib provided by one of the cap and the connector, the stabilizing rib at least substantially preventing the cap from vibrating about the sealing ring, the stabilizing rib configured and arranged to allow a sterilizing gas to flow past the stabilizing rib to contact the sealing ring.

13. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connector is at least one of:

(i) a spike connector;

(ii) a port connector extending from a disposable pumping cassette; and

(iii) fitted to an end of a tube.

14. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sealing ring and the stabilizing cap are provided on a same one of the connector or the protective cap.

15. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 12, wherein the protective cap is a tip protector.

16. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stabilizing rib is one of:

segmented, spiraling and aligned with a central axis of the connector.

17. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 12, the stabilizing rib a first stabilizing rib, and which includes a second stabilizing rib provided by one of the connector and the cap.

18. A disposable dialysis apparatus comprising:

a cassette including at least one of a pump chamber and a valve chamber;

a port connector extending from the cassette;

a protective cap fitted onto the port connector;

a sealing ring provided by one of the cap and the port connector, the sealing ring forming a seal between the cap and the port connector, the seal capable of holding a pressure; and

a stabilization rib provided by one of the cap and the port connector, the stabilizing rib at least substantially preventing the cap from vibrating about the sealing ring, the stabilizing rib configured and arranged to allow a sterilizing gas to flow past the stabilizing rib to contact the sealing ring.

19. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cassette is connected to at least one of:

(i) a heater bag and (ii) a drain bag.

20. The disposable dialysis apparatus of claim 18, the connector and cap a first connector and cap, and which includes a second port connector and a second cap sealed to the second connector, one of the second port connector and the second cap having the stabilizing rib.