STERILIZING PROCESS UTILIZING GAS PLASMA

摘要

A continuous flow of gas plasma is admitted to a substantially evacuated sterilization chamber containing the object to be sterilized. Argon plasma is produced continually by being subjected to a radio frequency field. Complex shapes such as capillary passages through a blood oxygenator can be sterilized by passing the gas plasma through them. The exterior of objects to be sterilized can be subjected to gas plasma within a packaging envelope, and subsequent to sterilization such envelope can be evacuated and collapsed onto the object to preserve its sterile character.