Claims
- 1. An apparatus for treating a lumen device, the lumen device having a lumen therethrough, the lumen having a first end and a second end, the apparatus comprising:
a container with at least one interface, wherein the at least one interface in the container separates the container into at least a first compartment and a second compartment; the interface having an opening therethrough to receive the lumen device with the first end of the lumen in the first compartment and the second end of the lumen in the second compartment; and a source of germicide in fluid communication with the container, wherein the germicide is in aerosol form.
- 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for creating a pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber whereby to induce a flow of the germicide from the first chamber toward the second chamber through the lumen.
- 3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for creating a pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber comprises a vacuum pump connected to the second chamber.
- 4. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for creating a pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber comprises a pump connected to the first chamber and to the second chamber.
- 5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the germicide comprises hydrogen peroxide.
- 6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the interface is adapted to seal around the lumen device.
- 7. A method for treating a lumen device, the lumen device having a lumen therethrough, the lumen having a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
providing a container with at least one interface, wherein the at least one interface separates the container into at least a first compartment and a second compartment; placing the lumen device in container extending across the at least one interface, wherein the first end is in the first compartment and the second end is in the second compartment; and introducing a germicide in aerosol form into the first compartment; and flowing the germicide from the first compartment through the lumen into the second compartment.
- 8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the germicide is flowed from the first chamber toward the second chamber through the lumen by creating a pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber.
- 9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber is created by lowering the pressure in the second chamber with a vacuum pump.
- 10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the pressure differential between the first chamber and the second chamber is created by pumping atmosphere from the second chamber into the first chamber.
- 11. A method according to claim 7 wherein the germicide comprises hydrogen peroxide.
- 12. A method according to claim 7 and further comprising the step of sealing the interface around the lumen device.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/323,610, filed Jun. 1, 1999, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/915,922, filed Aug. 21, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,294, the entire contents each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08915922 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
09323610 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09323610 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
10356050 |
Jan 2003 |
US |