Patent ID: 6106691
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: A61B,A61L,C02F

Abstract:
A medical instrument sterilizing and washing method, comprising the steps of:preparing an electrolytic aqueous solution by adding and dissolving a halide composed of a bromine compound as a simple substance or a bromine compound and another halogenated compound to and in tap water;directly subjecting the electrolytic aqueous solution to electrolysis by circulating said electrolytic aqueous solution through an electrolytic cell having electrode plates composed of an anode and a cathode, whereby to generate electrolytically-generated water containing hypohalogenous acid; andcirculating said electrolytically generated water from said electrolytic cell through a wash unit;sterilizing and washing a medical instrument by placing said instrument in said wash unit in contact with said electrolytically-generated water;detecting the hydrogen ion concentration of the circulating electrolytically-generated water, and adjusting the hydrogen ion concentration of the electrolytic water to maintain a pH of at least 6 at all times;detecting the concentration of the hypohalogenous acid contained in the electrolytically-generated water in a residual halogen concentration detecting unit; andcontinuing said sterilizing and washing until the detected residual halogen concentration achieves a value equal to or larger than a specific value for a specific period of time.