Patent ID: 6365103
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: A61L

Abstract:
A method for sterilizing within a sterilization chamber a hollow endoscope having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal passage there between, the method comprising the steps of:(i) sealing one end of said proximal and distal ends of the endoscope to a sealed vessel for fluid communication between the passage and the vessel to form an endoscope-vessel combination; (ii) disposing the endoscope-vessel combination within the sterilization chamber such that the other end of said proximal and distal ends is in fluid communication with the sterilization chamber; (iii) supplying a sterilization gas to the sterilization chamber; (iv) effecting a pressure difference between the internal volume of the vessel and the sterilizing chamber, such that the pressure in the internal volume of the vessel is below the pressure in the sterilization chamber whereby the vessel, upon exposure to the pressure difference, maintains an internal volume for causing sterilizing gas supplied to the sterilizing chamber to flow through the internal passage of the endoscope into the vessel.