Medical tubing and pump performance enhancement by ionizing radiation during sterilization

A method of using a medical tubing with a pump for administering measured amounts of a beneficial fluid over time to a patient comprising the steps of:

• providing a multilayered tubing having a first layer and a second layer, the first layer of an ethylene monomer copolymerized with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl esters of a carboxylic acid and lower alkene esters of a carboxylic acid, the lower alkyl and the lower alkene each have from 3-10 carbons, the second layer of homopolymers and copolymers of alpha olefins, the second layer being disposed concentrically within the first layer and having a modulus of elasticity greater than a modulus of elasticity of the first layer;
• improving fluid delivery accuracy over time of the tubing by exposing the tubing to a sterilization dosage of radiation of from about 15 to 45 kGys;
• and
• pumping fluid through the tubing with the pump.

A medical tubing for use with a pump for administering measured amounts of a beneficial fluid over time to a patient comprising:

• providing a tubing having a first layer selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers and ethylene copolymers, wherein the copolymers of ethylene are an ethylene monomer copolymerized with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl olefins having from 3 to 18 carbons, lower alkyl esters of a carboxylic acid, the lower alkyl having from 3 to 18 carbons, and lower alkene esters of a carboxylic acid, the lower alkene having from 3 to 18 carbons;
• a sterilization dosage of radiation of from about 15 kGys to about 45 kGys transmitted to the tubing;
• and
• wherein the tubing is formed by an extrusion process by an extruder, and wherein the tubing is cooled to a solid state to define an initial diameter and then the tubing is stretched in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the tubing to define an oriented diameter that is less than the initial diameter.

A method of manufacturing tubing for use with a pump for administering measured amounts of a beneficial fluid over time to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers and ethylene copolymers, wherein the copolymers of ethylene are an ethylene monomer copolymerized with a monomer selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl olefins having from 3 to 18 carbons, lower alkyl esters of a carboxylic acid, the lower alkyl having from 3 to 18 carbons, and lower alkene esters of a carboxylic acid, the lower alkene having from 3 to 18 carbons, the polymeric material having a melt flow index of less than about 5.0 g/10 minutes;
• extruding the polymeric material into a tubing having a first layer with an extruder;
• and
• improving fluid delivery accuracy over time of the tubing by exposing the tubing to a sterilization dosage of radiation of from about 15 to about 45 kGys.