Decontamination system including environmental control using a decontaminating substance
First Claim
1. A system for decontaminating a medical device, the system comprising:
- a decontamination chamber configured to retain the medical device;
a chemical dispersion assembly configured to deliver a decontaminating fluid containing peracetic acid to the decontamination chamber;
a pressure control assembly connected to the decontamination chamber and configured to control the pressure in the decontamination chamber; and
a system controller configured to control the decontamination chamber, chemical dispersion assembly, and pressure control assembly to;
reduce a pressure in the decontamination chamber to within a sub-atmospheric pressure range in a first evacuation step;
add a decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber, wherein adding the decontaminating fluid increases a relative humidity in the decontamination chamber to a level that improves the efficacy of the decontaminating fluid;
immediately following the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate, add the decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a second rate higher than the first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber to within a hold pressure range;
hold the decontaminating fluid in the decontamination chamber for a hold time within the hold pressure range;
reduce the pressure in the decontamination chamber after the hold time to within the sub-atmospheric pressure range in a second evacuation step; and
vent the decontamination chamber to atmospheric pressure, wherein after the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate and before the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the second rate, the relative humidity in the decontamination chamber is between about 50% and about 90%.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for decontaminating a medical device includes a decontamination chamber configured to retain the medical device and a chemical dispersion assembly configured to deliver a decontaminating fluid to the decontamination chamber. A pressure control assembly is connected to the decontamination chamber and configured to control the pressure in the decontamination chamber. The system also includes a system controller configured to control the decontamination chamber, chemical dispersion assembly, and pressure control assembly. A pressure in the decontamination chamber is reduced to within a sub-atmospheric pressure range in a first evacuation step and add a decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber. Adding the decontaminating fluid increases a relative humidity in the decontamination chamber to a level that improves the efficacy of the decontaminating fluid.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for decontaminating a medical device, the system comprising:
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a decontamination chamber configured to retain the medical device; a chemical dispersion assembly configured to deliver a decontaminating fluid containing peracetic acid to the decontamination chamber; a pressure control assembly connected to the decontamination chamber and configured to control the pressure in the decontamination chamber; and a system controller configured to control the decontamination chamber, chemical dispersion assembly, and pressure control assembly to; reduce a pressure in the decontamination chamber to within a sub-atmospheric pressure range in a first evacuation step; add a decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber, wherein adding the decontaminating fluid increases a relative humidity in the decontamination chamber to a level that improves the efficacy of the decontaminating fluid; immediately following the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate, add the decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a second rate higher than the first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber to within a hold pressure range; hold the decontaminating fluid in the decontamination chamber for a hold time within the hold pressure range; reduce the pressure in the decontamination chamber after the hold time to within the sub-atmospheric pressure range in a second evacuation step; and vent the decontamination chamber to atmospheric pressure, wherein after the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate and before the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the second rate, the relative humidity in the decontamination chamber is between about 50% and about 90%. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for decontaminating a medical device in a decontamination chamber, the method comprising:
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reducing a pressure in the decontamination chamber to within a sub-atmospheric pressure range in a first evacuation step; following the first evacuation step, adding a decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber to a first pressure, wherein adding the decontaminating fluid increases a relative humidity in the decontamination chamber to a level that improves the efficacy of the decontaminating fluid; immediately following the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate, adding the decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a second rate higher than the first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber from the first pressure to within a hold pressure range; holding the decontaminating fluid in the decontamination chamber for a hold time within the hold pressure range; reducing the pressure in the decontamination chamber from the hold pressure range to within the sub-atmospheric pressure range in a second evacuation step; and venting the decontamination chamber to atmospheric pressure following the second evacuation step, wherein after the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate and before the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the second rate, the relative humidity in the decontamination chamber is between about 50% and about 90%. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for decontaminating a medical device, the system comprising:
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a decontamination chamber configured to retain the medical device; a chemical dispersion assembly configured to deliver a decontaminating fluid to the decontamination chamber, the chemical dispersion assembly comprising; an atomizing nozzle; a chemical flow control system in fluid communication with the atomizing nozzle and a source of the decontaminating fluid; and an air flow control system operatively connected to the atomizing nozzle, wherein the chemical flow control system is configured to deliver decontaminating fluid from the source of decontaminating fluid to the atomizing nozzle, and wherein the air flow control system is configured to force the decontaminating fluid through the atomizing nozzle with forced air; a pressure control assembly connected to the decontamination chamber and configured to control the pressure in the decontamination chamber; and a system controller operably connected to the decontamination chamber, chemical dispersion assembly, and pressure control assembly, the system controller configured to; control the pressure control assembly to reduce a pressure in the decontamination chamber to within a sub-atmospheric pressure range in a first evacuation step; control the chemical dispersion assembly to add a decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a first rate, wherein the forced air from the air control assembly increases the pressure in the decontamination chamber and the decontaminating fluid increases a relative humidity in the decontamination chamber to a level that improves the efficacy of the decontaminating fluid; immediately following the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate, control the chemical dispersion assembly to add the decontaminating fluid into the decontamination chamber at a second rate higher than the first rate while increasing the pressure in the decontamination chamber to about within a hold pressure range; control the pressure control assembly to reduce the pressure in the decontamination chamber after a hold time to within the sub-atmospheric pressure range in a second evacuation step; and control the pressure control assembly to vent the decontamination chamber to atmospheric pressure, wherein after the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the first rate and before the addition of the decontaminating fluid at the second rate, the relative humidity in the decontamination chamber is between about 50% and about 90%. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification