BIOLOGICAL STERILIZATION INDICATOR, SYSTEM, AND METHODS OF USING SAME
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Accused Products
Abstract
A biological sterilization indicator, system, and methods of determining the effectiveness of a sterilization process. The biological sterilization indicator can include a locus of spores, a reservoir containing a liquid, and a sterilant path positioned to provide fluid communication between ambience and the locus of spores. The reservoir can have a closed state in which the reservoir is not in fluid communication with the locus of spores and an open state in which the reservoir is in fluid communication with the locus of spores. The biological sterilization indicator system can include the biological sterilization indicator and a detection device adapted to be coupled to the biological sterilization indicator. In some embodiments, the method can include assaying the spores for a detectable change in a characteristic, and detecting substantially all of the detectable change.
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Citations
99 Claims
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1-79. -79. (canceled)
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80. A biological sterilization indicator system comprising:
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a housing; a locus of spores positioned in the housing; a reservoir containing a liquid, the reservoir having a closed state in which the reservoir is not in fluid communication with the locus of spores and an open state in which the reservoir is in fluid communication with the locus of spores; a sterilant path positioned to provide fluid communication between ambience and the locus of spores when the reservoir is in a closed state; a seal positioned to move between a first position relative to the sterilant path in which the locus of spores is in fluid communication with ambience and a second position relative to the sterilant path in which the locus of spores is not in fluid communication with ambience, the seal adapted to be in the second position when the reservoir is in the open state; and an actuator adapted to actuate the seal to move between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A method for determining the effectiveness of a sterilization process, the method comprising:
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providing a housing; providing a locus of spores positioned in the housing; providing a reservoir containing a liquid, the reservoir having a closed state in which the reservoir is not in fluid communication with the locus of spores and an open state in which the reservoir is in fluid communication with the locus of spores; moving a sterilant into fluid communication with the locus of spores via a sterilant path while the reservoir is in the closed state to form sterilized spores; changing the reservoir from the closed state to the open state to combine the liquid and the sterilized spores to form a mixture; coupling at least a portion of the housing to a device; and sealing at least a portion of the sterilant path in response to coupling at least a portion of the housing to the device. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99)
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Specification