Sterilizable pouches for medical devices

A method of sterilizing a medical device and sealing the medical device within a pouch, the method comprising:

• inserting the medical device through an opening in the pouch, the pouch including a first gas-impermeable web, a second gas-permeable web, and a third gas-impermeable web, wherein the first and third gas-impermeable webs are sealed to each other along corresponding first and second side edges and first end edges of the first and third gas-impermeable webs, wherein a second end edge of the third gas-impermeable web extends past a second end edge of the first gas-impermeable web, wherein a first end edge of the second gas-permeable web is sealed to an inner surface of the first gas-impermeable web in an overlapping fashion such that the second end edge of the first gas-impermeable web extends past the first end edge of the second gas-permeable web to form a pocket configured to receive flushing arms of flushing sealer, wherein the second gas-permeable web is sealed to the third gas-impermeable web along corresponding first and second side edges of the second and third gas-impermeable webs, and wherein the opening is formed by corresponding second end edges of the second gas-permeable web and the third gas-impermeable web that are not attached to each other;
• sealing the opening after inserting the medical device through the opening;
• exposing the pouch to a sterilizing gas under conditions to sterilize the medical device, wherein the sterilizing gas reaches the medical through the second gas-permeable web;
• and
• after sterilizing the medical device, removing air from the cavity and forming a final seal between the first and third gas-impermeable webs generally parallel to the first and second end edges of the first and third gas-impermeable webs, wherein the final seal is located longitudinally between the first end edge of the second gas-permeable web and the first end edges of the first and third gas-impermeable webs.

A flexible, sterilizable pouch comprising:

• a first web, the first web being gas-impermeable and having a first length defined between a first web first end edge and a first web second end edge;
• a second web, the second web being gas-permeable and having a second length defined between a second web first end edge and a second web second end edge;
• a third web, the third web being gas-impermeable and having a third length defined between a third web first end edge and a third web second end edge, wherein the third length is longer than the first and second lengths such that with first web first end edge and the third web first end edge aligned, the third web second end edge extends past the first web second end edge;
• a cavity formed between the first web and the third web;
• a header defined from the second web first end edge overlapping with the first web second end edge and sealed to an inner surface of the first web to the second web second end edge aligned with the third web second end edge with the second web sealed to an inner surface of the third web;
• and
• a pocket formed between the second web first end edge and the first web second end edge of the first web, wherein the first web second end edge is not sealed to the second web such that the pocket is configured to receive flushing arms of a flushing sealer between the first web and the second web.