WO2007034083A1

WO2007034083A1 - System for disinfecting medical instruments

Info

Publication number: WO2007034083A1
Application number: PCT/FR2006/002165
Authority: WO
Inventors: Clément DESHAYS
Original assignee: Germitec
Priority date: 2005-09-21
Filing date: 2006-09-21
Publication date: 2007-03-29
Also published as: FR2890864A1; FR2890864B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for disinfecting medical instruments (4), comprising at least one first chamber (2) including means forming a hatch for access (3) inside same to place therein at least one medical instrument (4) to be disinfected, under the action of a disinfecting radiation during a disinfecting cycle. The invention is characterized in that it comprises means (5) for creating a vacuum in this first chamber (2), means (6) for introducing in this first chamber (2) a gas generating, via electrical excitation, the disinfecting radiation, connected to a gas source (7), and electrode-forming means (9, 10) connected to an electric power source (11) to excite the gas and generate the disinfecting radiation.

Description

Medical instrument disinfection system

The present invention relates to a system for disinfecting medical instruments.

In the state of the art, disinfection systems of this type are already known, which include, for example, a disinfection chamber adapted to implement a disinfection cycle of the instruments.

These speakers may for example be enclosures associated with means for emitting UV radiation of the UVC type for example or chemical disinfection means, etc.

By way of example, reference may be made to EP-A-0839537, which describes an instrument support device in an enclosure, in particular a decontamination chamber, and a corresponding enclosure. In fact this document relates to a decontamination chamber for medical instruments delimited by a bottom, at least one side wall and a top cover, each instrument having an active part and a connecting part in the form of a cable.

This enclosure also comprises a bracket extending inside and in the upper part of the enclosure, parallel to the bottom and overhanging the bottom, this bracket having a plurality of suspension members, each of them being intended to cooperate with a portion of the cable adjacent to the active part of the instrument.

This chamber is also associated with means for example tubes for emission therein a type C UV radiation for example to ensure the disinfection of instruments.

However, all systems of the state of the art pose a number of problems of disinfection quality, especially when the instruments have complex shapes such as cavities, recesses, ribs, grooves, etc. Shadow areas of this type may not be exposed properly to radiation.

The quality of the disinfection of the instrument is not optimal.

The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a system for disinfecting medical instruments, of the type comprising at least a first girdle having access trap means therein for placing therein at least one medical instrument to be disinfected under the action of disinfection radiation during a disinfection cycle, characterized in that it comprises: means for creating a vacuum in this first enclosure;

means for introducing into this first enclosure a generation gas, by electrical excitation, of the disinfection radiation, connected to a source of gas;

electrode means connected to a source of electrical energy for exciting the gas and generating the disinfection radiation; and

- The first enclosure is placed in a second security enclosure also provided with means forming an access door.

According to particular embodiments, the system according to I ¹ In- vention may comprise one or more of the following features:

- The means forming an access door to the first chamber are associated with means forming an electrically controlled lock prohibiting the opening of these means forming an access door during a disinfection cycle; the gas introduction means are associated with a pressure sensor in this first chamber;

- The first chamber is associated with gas evacuation means at the end of the disinfection cycle;

- The gas source is formed by a pressurized gas storage source, and the gas evacuation means of the first chamber are formed by means for pumping this gas in the storage source;

the first chamber is associated with means for venting it after pumping the gas; - The gas introduction means in the first chamber comprising a controlled valve;

the means forming an access hatch of this second enclosure are associated with means forming a lock with electrical control of prohibition opening these hatch means during a disinfection cycle and / or in case of detection of a gas leak from the first chamber by a leak sensor placed between the two enclosures;

the second enclosure is associated with means for evacuation of the leakage gas;

the escape gas evacuation means comprise means for pumping it into the gas source;

the second enclosure comprises means for venting the atmosphere; and the gas is formed by xenon.

The invention will be better understood from the following description given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawing, which represents a block diagram illustrating the structure and operation of a disinfection system. medical instruments according to the invention.

This system is designated by the general reference 1 in this figure and comprises at least a first enclosure designated by the general reference 2.

This disinfection chamber 2 may have any suitable shape such as, for example, an elongate shape illustrated in this figure.

In fact, this first enclosure is equipped with access hatch means inside thereof, these trap means being designated by the general reference 3 in this figure and which allow access to the interior of the enclosure. this first chamber 2 to place and remove at least one medical instrument to be disinfected as designated by the general reference 4 in this figure.

Various means for suspending and / or supporting one or more medical instruments in the enclosure are already known in the state of the art and will not be described in more detail later.

In fact, these medical instruments are to be disinfected under the action of a disinfection radiation during a disinfection cycle. The disinfection radiation may for example be a disinfection radiation type UV radiation type C for example.

For this purpose, this first enclosure is connected to means for creating a vacuum in the enclosure. These means of creating vacuum are for example formed by a vacuum pump designated by the general reference 5 in this figure.

Moreover, this first enclosure is also connected to means for introducing therein a generation gas, by electrical excitation, of the disinfection radiation, which are connected to a gas source.

These introduction means comprise for example a pilot valve designated by the general reference 6 in this figure, connected to a gas source 7 constituted for example by a source of gas storage under pressure. A pressure sensor designated by the general reference 8 is also provided in this chamber 2 to determine for example that a predetermined gas pressure and a vacuum level are reached in the chamber.

In addition, the enclosure also comprises electrode means designated for example by the general references 9 and 10 in this figure, connected to an electric power supply source designated by the general reference 11, for exciting the gas and generate the disinfection radiation during the instrument disinfection cycle.

It will be noted in this regard that the means forming access hatch to this first enclosure may be associated with means forming an electrically controlled latch designated by the general reference 12 in this figure, to prohibit the opening of the trap means and therefore the enclosure during a disinfection cycle.

This chamber is also associated with means of evacuation of gases at the end of the disinfection cycle.

These gas evacuation means are for example constituted by a pump or other designated by the general reference 13 in this figure. These evacuation means comprise, for example, pumping means gas page present in the enclosure, in the storage source 7 to allow reuse thereof.

Finally, this first chamber is also associated with means for venting the interior of this first chamber after pumping the gas.

In fact, these means may for example be distinct or integrated with the means for creating the vacuum inside this first enclosure constituted for example by the pump 5.

Indeed, this pump 5 may for example be associated with a bypass pilot valve to ensure the atmosphere of this chamber.

We then understand that the operation of this enclosure is the following.

An operator opens the means 3 forming the access door of the enclosure 2 to introduce inside this first enclosure one or more instruments to be disinfected 4.

These instruments may be suspended, placed or placed and maintained in any appropriate manner within the enclosure.

The operator closes the trap means 3 and triggers the disinfection cycle.

For this purpose, the system according to the invention comprises for example any appropriate computer designated by the general reference 14 in this figure providing control of the various organs described above and in particular during the outbreak of the disinfection cycle, driving the locking means 12 to block the trapdoor and prevent any opening of the enclosure during the disinfection cycle.

The computer then controls the operation of the means for creating the vacuum inside this first enclosure, formed for example by the pump 5, to create a vacuum inside the enclosure to a predetermined level as delivered for example by the pressure sensor 8. Once this vacuum level reaches the control computer the means for introducing into the chamber of the radiation generation gas, by controlling for example, the solenoid valve 6 interposed between this chamber 2 and the source of gas under pressure 7.

Gas is then introduced into the chamber to a predetermined pressure as delivered for example by the pressure sensor 8. It is then conceivable that this gas is diffused throughout the enclosure and around and possibly in the medical instruments placed in the enclosure and in particular in difficult access portions thereof such as cavities or others.

Then, the computer triggers the excitation of this gas by driving the electric power source 11 in order to apply the required levels of potential difference between the electrodes 9 and 10 to trigger the excitation and the ignition of the gas in order to emit the disinfection radiation.

By way of example, the gas introduced into the chamber may be xenon in order to generate UV-type disinfection radiation, for example C. It will also be noted in this connection that the inner surface of the enclosure may, for example, be coated. a polytetrafluoroethylene layer also known under the trademark TEFLON and / or a silicon oxide layer.

The duration of the disinfection cycle is then controlled by the computer 14 which, at the end of the cycle, cuts off the power source 11 to stop the excitation of the gas.

The computer 14 then triggers the operation of the evacuation means of the enclosure gas.

As has been described previously, these evacuation means are designated by the general reference 13 and include for example a pump adapted to pump the gas from the enclosure into the source of pressurized gas 7 to allow recovery and reuse of it.

Of course conventional gas filtering means can also be provided in this recovery circuit.

Then the computer triggers the operation of the venting means inside the enclosure such as for example the bypass valve provided on the pumping means 5. Finally, the computer controls an unlocking of the latch means 12 to allow the operator to open the trap means 3 and thus to have access to the medical instruments 4 after the disinfection cycle in the enclosure 2. It goes without saying of course that many other embodiments and improvements can be envisaged.

Thus for example means for moving the or each instrument inside the enclosure can be envisaged.

Similarly, means of traceability of the disinfection operation can also be provided, these means comprising for example means for reading identification codes of the instruments during their introduction and removal from the enclosure associated with means for acquiring information relating to the disinfection cycle for delivering traceability information. Of course, other improvements may be envisaged.

In addition, and as illustrated, this first enclosure 2 may also be disposed in a second security enclosure.

This second enclosure is designated by the general reference 15 in this figure and also comprises means forming an access door inside this second enclosure, ie in fact access to the first enclosure and in particular to means forming an access hatch thereof.

The means forming access hatch of the second enclosure are designated by the general reference 16 in this figure and also comprise means forming an electrically controlled lock for preventing this second enclosure from being opened during a cycle of disinfection.

These latch means are designated by the general reference 17 in this figure and are also controlled by the computer 14. In addition, a gas leakage sensor designated by the reference 18 is placed between the two enclosures.

This second enclosure is also associated with means of evacuation of the leakage gas included between the first and the second enclosure. these means being designated by the general reference 19 in this figure and being constituted for example by gas pumping means between the two enclosures, in the source of pressurized gas 7 and means for venting the atmosphere. this second enclosure designated by the general reference 20 and whose operation will be described in more detail later.

The operation of these evacuation means 19 and of these venting means 20 is also controlled by the computer 14.

In fact, this second enclosure called safety enclosure is an enclosure that ensures the environment of the system against any leakage of gas from the first enclosure.

Indeed, once the disinfection cycle has been triggered, the computer 14 causes control of the latch means 17 associated with the means forming an access hatch 16 of this second enclosure to prevent the operator from having access to the interior of the this second speaker and therefore to the first speaker.

The leakage sensor 18 makes it possible to detect any leakage of gas from the first chamber 2 and then to trigger through the computer 14 a security operation of the system.

This safety operation then consists in controlling the evacuation means 19 of the gas contained between the two chambers and, for example, in pumping it into the gas storage means 7 with a view to their reuse. Once this pumping done and when there is more danger to the environment, that is to say for example when the leakage sensor 18 no longer detects the presence of gas in the second chamber, the computer 14 then causes a venting of this second chamber via the means 20 described above and triggers an unlocking of the latch means 17 of the access hatch means 16 of the second chamber 15 to allow the operator to have access to the first chamber 2 and the medical instruments 4 placed therein. It is then conceivable that such a structure makes it possible to obtain optimal disinfection of the instruments, in particular of complex shape, and presents a very high degree of operational safety and optimal protection of the environment and in particular operators with respect to the gas used.

It goes without saying of course that other modes can be envisaged. In particular, different shapes and structures of the means forming access door to the speakers can be envisaged as well as different forms of the previously described means ie the gas source, controlled valves, pumping means, means venting, speakers ....

Claims

1.- medical instrument disinfection system (4), of the type comprising at least a first enclosure (2) comprising access hatch means (3) inside thereof to place at least one medical instrument (4) to be disinfected, under the action of a disinfection radiation during a disinfection cycle, characterized in that it comprises:

means (5) for creating a vacuum in this first enclosure

(2), means (6) for introducing into this first enclosure a generation gas, by electrical excitation, of the disinfection radiation, connected to a source of gas (7),

electrode means (9, 10) connected to a source of electrical energy (11) for exciting the gas and generating the disinfection radiation, and

- A second security chamber (15) also provided with means forming an access door (16), in which is placed the first chamber (2).

2. A system for disinfecting medical instruments according to claim 1, characterized in that the means forming access door (3) to the first chamber (2) are associated with means forming an electrically operated latch (12). ) prohibiting the opening of these means forming an access door during a disinfection cycle.

3. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gas introduction means (6, 7) are associated with a pressure sensor (8) in this first chamber.

4. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first chamber is associated with means (13) for evacuation of the gas at the end of the disinfection cycle.

5. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to claim 4, characterized in that the gas source is formed by a source of gas storage under pressure (7) and that the evacuation means (13) gases of the first chamber are formed by means for pumping this gas in the storage source (7).

6. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the first chamber (2) is associated with means for venting (5) thereof after pumping the gas.

7. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas introduction means in the first chamber comprising a controlled valve (6).

8. A medical instrument disinfection system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the access flap means (16) of this second enclosure (15) are associated with latch means (17). electrically controlled opening prohibition of these means forming a hatch (16) during a disinfection cycle and / or in the event of detection of a gas leak from the first chamber (2) by a leak sensor (18) placed between the two enclosures (2, 15).

9. A medical instrument disinfection system according to claim 8, characterized in that the second chamber (15) is associated with means (19) d ^! evacuation of the exhaust gas.

10. A medical instrument disinfection system according to claim 5 and 9, characterized in that the means for evacuation of the leakage gas comprise pumping means (19) thereof in the gas source (7). .

11. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second chamber (15) comprises means (20) for venting.

12. Disinfection system of medical instruments according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas is formed by xenon.