Patent ID: 6261518
Filing Date: 2001-07-17
Classification: A61L,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for plasma sterilization of an interior of a chamber and any articles therein, comprising:exposing said interior of said chamber and any articles therein to at least one combination sterilizing cycle, each combination sterilizing cycle comprising:a pulsed treatment with gaseous antimicrobial agent, said pulsed treatment comprising one or more pulse-vacuum cycles, each pulse-vacuum cycle comprising the steps of evacuating said chamber and exposing the interior of said chamber and any articles therein to gaseous antimicrobial agent for a predetermined duration;removing the antimicrobial agent after the pulsed treatment by evacuating said chamber; anda plasma treatment comprising exposing the interior of said chamber and any articles therein to a stream of plasma, said plasma being generated in a separate plasma generating chamber and being supplied to effect sterilization in said chamber.