US 10,561,753 B2Granted

Method of sterilizing medical devices, analyzing biological indicators, and linking medical device sterilization equipment

AssigneeAsp Global Manufacturing GmbH

InventorsBrian J. Thompson, Jacob S. Childs, Chunhui Xie, Marco A. Mangiaterra, Darius D. Eghbal, Margaret D. Shaffer, Jeremy M. Yarwood, Benjamin M. Fryer, Howell B. Schwartz, Philippe Kanh Dang, Yaeer Lev, Venkata Danam

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Abstract

A biological indicator analyzer includes a plurality of wells, a plurality of organism detector features, and a user input feature such as a touch screen. Each well is configured to receive a respective biological indicator. Each organism detector feature is configured to detect whether a biological indicator disposed in a corresponding well of the plurality of wells contains a living organism. The touch screen is configured to receive user input and provide information to the user indicating a status of biological indicator analysis. The biological indicator analyzer may be used to analyze a biological indicator that was positioned in a sterilization chamber of a sterilizing cabinet along with at least one medical device that is to be sterilized. The analysis may indicate whether the sterilization cycle in the sterilization chamber as successful.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for processing medical devices, the system comprising:

(a) a sterilizing cabinet comprising a processor, a display, an identification tag reader, and a sterilizing compartment, wherein the sterilizing cabinet is operable to perform a sterilization cycle on a medical device and a biological indicator contained within the sterilizing compartment;
(b) a biological indicator analyzer comprising a well, a light source, and sensor, wherein the indicator analyzer is operable to perform an indicator analysis on the biological indicator, using the light source and the sensor, when the biological indicator is placed in the well;
(c) a server configured to store a medical device database, wherein the medical device database comprises information describing the history and use of a plurality of medical devices;
and
(d) a communication hub comprising a network interface, wherein the communication hub is configured to exchange information between the sterilizing cabinet, the indicator analyzer, and the server;
wherein the processor is configured to:
(i) display a prompt via the display for a user to scan the biological indicator with the identification tag reader,
(ii) receive a set of biological indicator data from the identification tag reader,
(iii) display a set of compatible sterilization cycles via the display based upon the set of biological indicator data, and
(iv) receive a sterilization cycle selection from a user, wherein the sterilization cycle selection is selected from the set of compatible sterilization cycles.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/441,786Filed 24 Feb 2017 · us provisional application
Priority: 2 Mar 2016
Published: US 2017/0252474 A17 Sep 2017
Granted: 18 Feb 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

A61L 2/28
Accessories: devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation or disinfection, e.g. indicators which change colour
A61L 2/04
Using physical processes: heat
A61L 2/14
Using physical processes: plasma, i.e. ionised gases
A61L 2/16
Disinfection or sterilisation of materials or objects, in general; Accessories therefor: using chemical substances

Family

Application62/302,257Us provisional application · filed 2 Mar 2016
Application62/316,722Us provisional application · filed 1 Apr 2016
Application62/376,517Us provisional application · filed 18 Aug 2016
US 2017/0252474 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Sep 2017
US 10,561,753 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.