Sterilization system

A method of sterilizing medical articles including metal medical articles comprising:

• (I) storing separately a hypochlorite, phosphates, and a nonionic surfactant which is compatible with chlorine and said phosphates, each in a separate sealed compartment in a multi-compartmented package,
• (II) maintaining said components in said sealed compartments of said package in an inactivated condition thereby prolonging shelf-life until ready for use,
• (III) releasing and transferring said components from said multi-compartmented package into a vessel at the time sterilization is to be effected,
• (IV) simultaneously with step (III) effecting mixing said components to thereby activate the components and provide in said vessel an activated sterilizing solution which is substantially non-irritating to tissue and which comprises 0.02 to 1% of said hypochlorite, 1.4 to 20% of said phosphates as di(alkali metal) phosphate and 0.08% to 21% as mono(alkali metal) phosphate, and 0.1 to 0.5% of said nonionic surfactant which is compatible with chlorine and said phosphates, with the proviso that the lower limit of said di(alkali metal) phosphate is 4% when the amount of said hypochlorite is from 0.05 to 1%, said percentages being based on weight (in grams) per 100 ml. of solution,
• (V) contacting said medical articles with said sterilizing solution to effect sterilization free of deletrious effects on said metal medical instruments, and
• (VI) prior to step (V) cleaning said articles, diluting and neutralizing chemical contaminants in said articles, and wetting said articles by contacting said articles with a conditioning solution.

A method of sterilizing medical articles including metal medical articles comprising:

• (I) storing in a container conditioning solution containing conditioning agents for cleaning the articles, diluting and neutralizing chemical contaminants on said articles and wetting said articles,
• (II) storing separately predetermined amounts of a hypochlorite, phosphates, and a nonionic surfactant which is compatible with chlorine and said phosphates, each in a separate sealed compartment in a multi-compartmented package,
• (III) maintaining said components in said sealed compartments of said multi-compartmented package in an inactivated condition thereby prolonging shelf-life until ready for use,
• (IV) releasing and transferring said components from said multi-compartmented package into a vessel at the time sterilization is to be effected,
• (V) simultaneously with step (IV) effecting mixing said released components to thereby activate said components and provide in said vessel an activated sterilizing solution which is substantially non-irritating to tissue and which comprises 0.02 to 1% of said hypochlorite, 1.4 to 20% of said phosphates as di(alkali metal) phosphate and 0.08% to 21% as mono(alkali metal) phosphate, and 0.1 to 0.5% of said nonionic surfactant which is compatible with chlorine and said phosphates, with the proviso that the lower limit of said di(alkali metal) phosphate is 4% when the amount of said hypochlorite is from 0.5 to 1%, said percentage being based on weight (in grams) per 100 ml. of solution,
• (VI) releasing and transferring said conditioning solution from said container to another vessel at the time sterilization is to be effected, and
• (VII) contacting said medical articles first with said conditioning solution in the last said vessel and then transferring said articles to said first mentioned vessel to thereby contact said articles with said sterilizing solution to thereby effect sterilization free of deleterious effects on said metal medical articles.

A method of sterilizing medical articles including metal medical articles comprising:

• (I) storing separately a hypochlorite, phosphates, and a nonionic surfactant which is compatible with chlorine and said phosphates, each in a separate sealed compartment in a multi-compartmented package,
• (II) maintaining said components in said sealed compartments of said package in an inactivated condition thereby prolonging shelf-life until ready for use,
• (III) releasing and transferring said components from said multi-compartmented package into a vessel at the time sterilization is to be effected,
• (IV) simultaneously with step (III) effecting mixing said components to thereby activate the components and provide in said vessel an activated steriliaing solution which is substantially non-irritating to tissue and which comprises 0.02 to 1% of said hypochlorite in the form of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hypochlorite, 0.1 to 0.5% of said nonionic surfactant which is compatible with chlorine and said phosphates, said phosphates being in the form of 1.4 to 20% of di(alkali metal) phosphate titrated to the desired pH with 0.08% to 21% mono(alkali metal) phosphate, with the proviso that the lower limit of said di(alkali metal) phosphate is 4.0% when the amount of said hypochlorite is from 0.5 to 1%, said percentages being based on weight (in grams) per 100 ml. of solution, and
• (V) contacting said medical articles with said sterilizing solution to effect sterilization free of deleterious effects on said metal medical articles.