Patent ID: 6495100
Filing Date: 2002-12-17
Classification: A61L

Abstract:
A method for sterilizing an article in a diffusion restricted environment under reduced pressure, said method comprising:placing said article in a container, wherein said container comprises at least one communication port and wherein said container is attachable to and detachable from a vacuum source through said communication port; introducing a liquid solution comprising vaporizable germicide into said container; attaching said container to said vacuum source through said communication port; creating a diffusion restricted environment around the article to be sterilized, wherein the placing, introducing, attaching, and creating can occur in any order; reducing the pressure in said container with said vacuum source through said communication port; generating germicide vapor from said vaporizable germicide, wherein said germicide vapor diffuses from inside the container through the communication port to outside the container, thereby sterilizing said article in said container; detaching said container from said vacuum source; and maintaining the sterility of said article.