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Process and apparatus for dry sterilization of medical devices and materials

  • US 5,171,525 A
  • Filed: 08/03/1990
  • Issued: 12/15/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for sterilization and treatment of medical and dental devices and materials comprising the steps of,placing said devices and materials on a generally planar metallic electrode, said planar electrode being positioned within a gas-tight confining chamber, said chamber being made of metal and connected to a point of potential reference, the internal surface area of said chamber being substantially larger than the surface area of said planar electrode,further including a perforated metallic enclosure within said chamber, said perforated enclosure being insulated from, but surrounding and containing said planar electrode and said devices and materials positioned thereon, said enclosure being connected to said point of potential reference,evacuating said chamber to a substantially low pressure and introducing a gas into said chamber wherein said gas comprises water vapor in excess of 100 ppm in a binary mixture with any one of the groups of gases consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, argon or a halogen,initiating an electrical discharge in said gas within said chamber by application of an RF voltage between said planar electrode and said point of potential reference creating a gas plasma,maintaining said gas plasma for a controlled period of time,maintaining a flow of said gas through said chamber, andwithdrawing said devices and materials from said chamber.

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