Process for cleaning and sterilizing medical instruments with long narrow lumen

摘要

A process for cleaning and sterilizing medical instruments comprises, placing instrument inside container followed by cleaning with a solution, rinsing and treatment with a liquid sterilization agent, especially hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid which is then evaporated, simultaneously sterilizing and drying the instrument. A process for cleaning and sterilizing medical instruments comprises, placing instrument inside container followed by cleaning with a solution, rinsing and treatment with a liquid sterilization agent, especially hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid which is then evaporated, simultaneously sterilizing and drying the instrument. Before sterilization, a portion of the sterilization agent is withheld in the container. The sterilization process may be conducted within a diffusion-limited environment, or by reducing the pressure to a predetermined level, followed by further reduction to a second predetermined level, or by a pump-regulated reduction in pressure.