US 6,068,815 AGranted

Endoscope reprocessing and sterilization system

AssigneeMinntech Corporation

InventorsRaymond Paul Oberleitner, John E. Marxer, Ward J. Sly, Patricia M. Stanley, Gregory Worsnick, Kurt J. Weimer, Bruce D. Martin, Mary Beth B. Henderson, Bradley K. Onstad

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Abstract

A system for reprocessing and sterilizing a previously used endoscope having at least one lumen is disclosed. The reprocessing system includes a reaction chamber into which individual chemical components of a sterilant are transferred by pneumatic force. The system includes a central processor which controls the asynchronous reprocessing and sterilization of at least two endoscopes. A novel sterilant is also disclosed. Also disclosed is a combination of the sterilization device and the sterilant and methods of using the same.

Claims32

Dependent claims

An apparatus for sterilizing an endoscope, said apparatus comprising:

(a) at least one reprocessing bay, each said bay comprising:
(i) walls and a door together defining an interior reprocessing chamber, said door providing selective access to said reprocessing chamber;
(ii) a fluid inlet defined in one of said walls;
(iii) a fluid outlet defined in one of said walls, said fluid outlet permitting removal of accumulated fluid in said reprocessing bay;
(iv) a rotating arm unit rotatably mounted to one of said walls so as to be disposed within said reprocessing chamber, said rotating arm unit including at least one rotating arm member having an interior fluid passage fluidly connected to said fluid inlet, a plurality of orifices being defined in said rotating arm member, said orifices being in fluid communication with said fluid passage, so that fluid can pass from said fluid inlet, through said fluid passage, through said orifices and into said reprocessing chamber;
(b) a reaction vessel;
(c) at least one sterilant conduit extending between and fluidly coupling said reaction vessel and said reprocessing chamber;
(d) at least one chemical sterilant component container;
(e) a chemical sterilant component conduit extending between and fluidly coupling each said chemical sterilant component container to said reaction vessel;
(f) at least one water conduit fluidly coupling a water supply to at least one of said reprocessing chamber, said reaction vessel, and the conduits extending therebetween;
and
(g) a transfer control system for selectively transferring at least one chemical sterilant component from said at least one chemical sterilant component container to said reaction vessel, for selectively transferring sterilant from said reaction vessel to said reprocessing chamber, and for selectively transferring water from a water supply through said at least one water conduit.

9 more elements

A method of sterilizing an endoscope, said method comprising:

(I) providing an apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
(a) at least one reprocessing bay, each said bay comprising:
(i) walls and a door together defining an interior reprocessing chamber, said door providing selective access to said reprocessing chamber;
(ii) a fluid inlet defined in one of said walls;
(iii) a fluid outlet defined in one of said walls;
(iv) a rotating arm unit rotatably mounted to one of said walls so as to be disposed within said reprocessing chamber, said rotating arm unit including at least one rotating arm member having an interior fluid passage fluidly connected to said fluid inlet, a plurality of orifices being defined in said rotating arm member, said orifices being in fluid communication with said fluid passage, so that fluid can pass from said fluid inlet, through said fluid passage, through said orifices and into said reprocessing chamber;
(b) a reaction vessel;
(c) at least one sterilant conduit extending between and fluidly coupling said reaction vessel and said reprocessing chamber;
(d) at least one chemical sterilant component container;
(e) a chemical sterilant component conduit extending between and fluidly coupling each said chemical sterilant component container to said reaction vessel;
(f) at least one water conduit fluidly coupling a water supply to at least one of said reprocessing chamber, said reaction vessel, and the conduits extending therebetween;
and
(g) a transfer control system for selectively transferring at least one chemical sterilant component from said at least one chemical sterilant component container to said reaction vessel, for selectively transferring said sterilant from said reaction vessel to said reprocessing chamber, and for selectively transferring water from a water supply through said at least one water conduit;
(II) disposing an endoscope to be sterilized in a said reprocessing bay;
(III) transferring at least one chemical sterilant component from said chemical sterilant component container to said reaction vessel;
(IV) preparing a sterilant in said reaction vessel;
(V) transferring said sterilant from said reaction chamber to a said reprocessing bay;
and
(VI) forcing said sterilant under pressure through said fluid passage of said rotating arm member and through said plurality of orifices into a said bay to effectively sterilize said endoscope.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.