Microbial decontamination system with components porous to anti-microbial fluids

A microbial decontamination system comprising:

• a decontamination region including a reservoir for receiving an item to be microbially decontaminated, the item having at least one internal passage and at least a first port in fluid communication with the internal passage, the first port being surrounded by a first immediately contiguous surface of the item, the reservoir further receiving and holding sufficient anti-microbial fluid to envelope the item;
• a circulation system for circulating the anti-microbial fluid through a porous fitting, the porous fitting being selectively interconnected with the first port to the interior passage of the item such that the circulation system circulates the anti-microbial fluid through a tubular bore of the porous fitting into the internal passage, the porous fitting being sufficiently porous that the anti-microbial fluid circulated through the tubular bore also passes through the porous fitting contacting the first immediately contiguous surface.

A microbial decontamination system for microbially decontaminating a reusable item including surfaces of the item that define interior passages and access ports, the system comprising:

• an item to be microbially decontaminated;
• an anti-microbial fluid circulating system for circulating an anti-microbial fluid through interior passages and access ports of said item to be microbially decontaminated;
• a rigid, open-celled porous plastic element closing at least a first of the access ports, the rigid, open-celled porous plastic element being mounted in firm frictional contact with the surface which defines the first port, the rigid, open-celled porous plastic element being sufficiently porous that the anti-microbial fluid penetrates through the rigid, open-celled porous plastic element and microbially decontaminates the surface which defines the first port.

A method of microbially decontaminating an item, the method comprising:

• connecting a rigid porous fitting into firm frictional contact with a surface adjacent a port which provides access to an interior of the item;
• circulating a microbial decontamination fluid through the porous fitting into the interior, microbially decontaminating the interior;
• the rigid porous fitting having sufficient porosity such that the anti-microbial fluid penetrates through the rigid porous fitting to the frictionally contacted surface adjacent the port, assuring microbial decontamination of the surface.

A method of killing microbes sheltered between firmly abutting first and second rigid surfaces of first and second rigid constructions, the method comprising:

• constructing at least one of the first and second rigid constructions of a porous open-celled rigid material;
• immersing the first and second rigid constructions in an anti-microbial fluid;
• causing the anti-microbial fluid to flow through open cells of the porous open-celled rigid material contacting and killing the microbes sheltered between the abutting surfaces.