Claims
- 1. An apparatus for sterilizing a lumen, comprising a booster and a connecting device between the booster and the lumen, wherein the connecting device comprises a silicone material.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connecting device comprises textured or uneven surfaces.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the booster comprises a vessel containing an antimicrobial fluid.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the booster is a dry booster.
- 5. An apparatus for sterilizing a lumen, comprising a dry booster and a connecting device between the dry booster and the lumen, wherein the lumen contacts the connecting device at a contact area and wherein the contact area is adapted to enhance penetration of an antimicrobial vapor or gas to the contact area.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connecting device is constructed from a material, at least in the contact area, that is permeable to the antimicrobial vapor or gas.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the surface of the connecting device in the contact area is textured or uneven.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dry booster encloses an internal volume that is greater than the internal volume of the lumen.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dry booster comprises a flow restrictor.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dry booster comprises a check valve.
- 11. A system for sterilizing a lumen, comprising:
a vacuum chamber; a pump to evacuate the chamber; a dry booster attachable to and detachable from a lumen; and a source of germicide.
- 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the dry booster comprises an adaptor and wherein the lumen contacts the adaptor in a contact area.
- 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the adaptor is constructed from a material, at least in the contact area, that is permeable to the antimicrobial vapor or gas.
- 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the adaptor comprises a surface that is textured or uneven in the contact area.
- 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the dry booster encloses an internal volume that is greater than the internal volume of the lumen.
- 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the dry booster comprises a flow restrictor.
- 17. The system of claim 11, wherein the dry booster comprises a check valve.
- 18. A method for sterilizing a lumen, comprising
providing a dry booster, a connecting device, and a lumen; connecting a first end of the lumen to the dry booster with the connecting device, wherein the lumen contacts the connecting device at a contact area; placing the dry booster, the connecting device, and the lumen into a chamber, wherein the chamber is at a pressure; introducing an antimicrobial vapor or gas into the chamber; causing the antimicrobial vapor or gas to penetrate the contact area and the lumen; and sterilizing the lumen.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the connecting device, at least in the contact area, is permeable to a germicide.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the surface of the connecting device in the contact area is textured or uneven.
- 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the dry booster encloses an internal volume that is greater than the internal volume of the lumen.
- 22. The method of claim 18, further comprising reducing the pressure in the chamber, thereby at least partially evacuating the dry booster.
- 23. The method of claim 18, further comprising creating a higher pressure outside the dry booster than inside the dry booster; and flowing the antimicrobial vapor or gas from the chamber into the dry booster through the lumen.
- 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising reducing the pressure in the chamber after the flowing of the antimicrobial vapor or gas from the chamber into the dry booster through the lumen, thereby causing at least a portion of the antimicrobial vapor or gas in the dry booster to flow from the dry booster through the lumen and into the chamber.
- 25. An apparatus for sterilizing a lumen, comprising a booster and a connecting device between the booster and the lumen, wherein the lumen contacts the connecting device at a contact area and wherein the connecting device comprises an uneven or textured surface in the contact area.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the connecting device is constructed from a material, at least in the contact area, that is permeable to the antimicrobial vapor or gas.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the booster comprises a vessel containing an antimicrobial fluid.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the booster is a dry booster.
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/746,990, filed Dec. 22, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/384,761, filed Aug. 27, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,265; which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/992,131, filed Dec. 17, 1997, now abandoned, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09,472,319, filed Dec. 23, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/915,922, filed Aug. 21, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,294, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08992131 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Child |
09384761 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09746990 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
Child |
10160869 |
May 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09384761 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
09746990 |
Dec 2000 |
US |
Parent |
08915922 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
09472319 |
Dec 1999 |
US |