Barrier material

A container (6;

• 106) which has been exposed to ethylene oxide gas characterised in that the container is formed from a laminate having an inner layer which contains a polyolefin, an outer layer which contains a polyester, a polyolefin or a polyamide and an intermediate layer which contains a silicon oxide.

An assembly (10;

• 110) which has been exposed to ethylene oxide gas comprising an article (3;
• 103) sterilised by the ethylene oxide gas and a sealed container (6;
• 106) formed from a laminate having an inner layer which contains a polyolefin, an outer layer which contains a polyester, a polyolefin or a polyamide and an intermediate layer which is contains a silicon oxide.

A storage package which contains a medical instrument (3;

• 103) having a hydrophilic outer surface coating and a sealed container (6;
• 106) which contains a sterile wetting fluid for wetting of the hydrophilic coating of the instrument and which is constructed from a laminate having an inner layer which contains a polyolefin, an outer layer which contains a polyester, a polyolefin or a polyamide and an intermediate layer which contains a silicon oxide.

A process for forming a storage package containing a medical instrument (3;

• 103) having a hydrophilic outer surface coating and a wetting fluid container (6;
• 106) which contains a wetting fluid for wetting of the hydrophilic outer surface coating of the medical instrument comprising the steps of forming the wetting fluid container from a laminate having an inner layer which contains a polyolefin, an outer layer which contains a polyester, a polyolefin or a polyamide and an intermediate layer which contains a silicon oxide, subjecting the container to a steam or gamma radiation sterilising process to sterilise the wetting fluid in the container, assembling the medical instrument and sterilised wetting fluid container together into an assembly, subjecting the assembly to an ethylene oxide gas sterilising process to sterilise the medical instrument and enclosing the sterilised assembly in a storage package container.

An assembly (10;

• 110) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 1 or FIGS. 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

A storage package substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 1 or FIGS. 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

A process for forming a storage package containing a medical instrument (3;

• 103) having a hydrophilic outer surface coating and a wetting fluid container (6;
• 106) which contains a wetting fluid for wetting of the hydrophilic outer surface coating of the medical instrument substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 1 or FIGS. 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.

A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 1 or FIGS. 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.