Sterilizer vacuum test pack

A method for testing the adequacy of air removal in a prevacuum sterilizer using a testpack, the testpack providing equivalence to a standard Bowie-Dick towel test pack, and wherein the test pack comprises:

• a first plurality of planar sheets of substantially porous material disposed to form a stack;
• a second plurality of planar sheets of substantially porous material disposed to form a stack;
• an indicator adapted to provide an indication of the removal of air within the test pack and the replacement of the air by sterilizing gas;
• the indicator comprising a sheet of material having a chemical indicator thereon which changes color in the presence of sterilizing gas;
• the indicator being disposed between said first and second pluralities of planar sheets;
• a tray formed of a gas inhibiting material, the tray having a base coextensive and aligned with an exposed side of one of said first and second pluralities of sheets and four side walls transverse to said base together substantially covering the exposed edges of said first and second pluralities of sheets having said indicator sandwiched between said first and second pluralities of sheets;
• the tray and the first and second pluralities of sheets with the indicator disposed therebetween defining an assembly, the tray being open on one side opposite the base such that a surface of one of said first and second pluralities of sheets is not covered;
• and
• an organizer disposed all about the periphery of the assembly to maintain the sheets and the tray in a predetermined spatial relationship while permitting the passage of sterilizing gas and air to and from the assembly;
• the method comprising the step of varying the height of each of the first and second pluralities while maintaining the combined height of the first and second pluralities constant, further wherein said first and second pluralities of sheets comprise a total number of sheets of 16 to 28 sheets of paper having a basis weight of about 214 lbs, a caliper of about 0.02 inch and a Gurley porosity of about 12-35 secs (20 oz cylinder).

A test pack for testing the adequacy of air removal in a pre-vacuum sterilizer, the test pack providing equivalence to a standard Bowie-Dick towel test pack, the test pack comprising:

• a first plurality of planar sheets of substantially porous material disposed to form a stack;
• a second plurality of planar sheets of substantially porous material disposed to form a stack;
• an indicator adapted to provide an indication of the removal of air within the test pack and the replacement of the air by a sterilizing gas;
• the indicator being disposed between said first and second pluralities of planar sheets;
• the indicator comprising a sheet of material having a chemical indicator thereon which changes color in the presence of sterilizing gas;
• the indicator sheet of material being directly disposed between the first and second pluralities of sheets without any sheets of material being disposed about edges of said indicator sheet of material;
• a tray formed of a gas inhibiting material, the tray having a base coextensive and aligned with an exposed side of one of said first and second pluralities of sheets and four side walls transverse to said base together substantially covering the exposed edges of said first and second pluralities of sheets having said indicator sandwiched between said first and second pluralities of sheets;
• the tray and the first and second pluralities of sheets with the indicator disposed therebetween defining an assembly, the tray being open on one side opposite the base such that a surface of one of said first and second pluralities of sheets is not covered;
• and
• an organizer disposed all about the periphery of the assembly to maintain the sheets and the tray in a predetermined spatial relationship while permitting the passage of sterilizing gas and air to and from the assembly, further wherein said first and second pluralities of sheets comprise a total number of sheets of 16 to 28 sheets of paper having a basis weight of about 214 lbs, a caliper of about 0.02 inch and a Gurley porosity of about 12-35 secs (20 oz cylinder).

A test pack for testing the adequacy of air removal in a prevacuum sterilizer, the test pack providing equivalence to a standard Bowie-Dick towel test pack, the test pack comprising:

• a first plurality of planar sheets of substantially porous material disposed to form a stack;
• a second plurality of planar sheets of substantially porous material disposed to form a stack;
• an indicator adapted to provide an indication of the removal of air within the test pack and the replacement of the air by a sterilizing gas;
• the indicator being disposed between said first and second pluralities of planar sheets;
• the indicator comprising a sheet of material having a chemical indicator thereon which changes color in the presence of sterilizing gas;
• there being no sheets surrounding the indicator along edges of the indicator so that the indicator is not disposed in a cavity formed in planar sheets;
• a tray formed of a gas inhibiting material, the tray having a base coextensive and aligned with an exposed side of one of said first and second pluralities of sheets and four side walls transverse to said base together substantially covering the exposed edges of said first and second pluralities of sheets having said indicator sandwiched between said first and second pluralities of sheets;
• the tray and the first and second pluralities of sheets with the indicator disposed therebetween defining an assembly, the tray being open on one side opposite the base such that a surface of one of said first and second pluralities of sheets is not covered;
• and
• an organizer disposed all about the periphery of the assembly to maintain the sheets and the tray in a predetermined spatial relationship while permitting the passage of sterilizing gas and air to and from the assembly, further wherein said first and second pluralities of sheets comprise a total number of sheets of 16 to 28 sheets of paper having a basis weight of about 214 lbs, a caliper of about 0.02 inch and a Gurley porosity of about 12-35 secs (20 oz cylinder).