Patent ID: 6132680
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: A61L,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for sterilizing an article within a diffusion restricted container in a vacuum chamber, said method comprising:placing said article in said diffusion restricted container, wherein said diffusion restricted container comprises at least one communication port and wherein said diffusion restricted container has the same or more diffusion restriction than a reference container having a communication port comprising a tubular shaped opening having a length to internal diameter ratio greater than or equal to a 1.1;placing said diffusion restricted container in said vacuum chamber;introducing a liquid comprising vaporizable germicide into said diffusion restricted container, wherein the introducing step and the two placing steps can occur in any order; followed byreducing a pressure in said vacuum chamber, thereby generating germicide vapor, wherein said germicide vapor diffuses from inside said diffusion restricted container to outside said diffusion restricted container, sterilizing said article; andremoving said diffusion restricted container from said vacuum chamber.