Radiation Sterilization of Medical Devices

A method of sterilizing a stack of packages of medical devices, the method comprising:

• placing a stack of packages of medical devices horizontally on a fixture having a support element, the step of positioning the stack including:
• placing the stack between a radiation source and the support element of the fixture,
• staggering the stack of packages horizontally so that there is a non-overlapping portion between adjacent packages, and
• positioning the stack of packages so that faces of the packages are at an acute angle relative to a radiation beam from the radiation source,
• wherein each medical device is not placed in the middle of the package, and wherein each medical device is placed in the same horizontal and vertical positions within the package;
• and
• exposing the packages to an incoming radiation beam.

A method of arranging a plurality of stent-catheter assemblies for radiation sterilization, the method comprising:

• arranging each of a plurality of stent-catheter assemblies in a planar configuration and disposing the stent-catheter assembly in a planar package;
• stacking the packages horizontally, wherein the stent of each stent-catheter assembly is positioned at a position in the corresponding package such that the stents are exposed to the same or substantially the same radiation when the packages are radiation sterilized;
• and
• exposing the packages to an incoming radiation beam, the radiation beam being at an acute angle to the planes of the planar configuration of the assemblies, wherein the packages are arranged such that a front end of the stack faces the radiation beam and a back end of the stack faces away from the radiation beam.

A method of arranging a stack of medical device packages for radiation sterilization, the method comprising:

• staggering a stack of packages horizontally so that there is a non-overlapping portion between adjacent packages;
• positioning the stack of packages so that faces of the packages are at an acute angle relative to a radiation beam, wherein each medical device is not placed in the middle of its package, and wherein each medical device is placed in the same horizontal and vertical positions within the package;
• and
• exposing the packages to an incoming radiation beam.