Cleaning of medical devices avoiding recontamination

Details Cleaning of medical devices avoiding recontamination Cleaning of medical devices avoiding recontamination

1999-02-10

2001-12-04

Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Apparatus

Automatic controls

C134S16600C, C134S16900A, C134S186000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06325080

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the cleaning of medical devices in an apparatus with a receptacle for receiving the medical device. The receptacle comprises an upper inlet for inserting the medical device through the inlet into the receptacle. For cleaning the medical device, the receptacle is filled with a fluid.
Reusable medical devices, such as endoscopes, probes, catheters or the like, for at least partly introducing into a patient's body generally have to be cleaned after use and/or before being applied again. The term ‘cleaning’ as used herein shall comprise any kind of freeing the device from contamination such as cleansing, disinfecting or sterilizing.
Various apparatus for cleaning endoscopes are disclosed e.g. in EP-A-0038168, FR-A-2705896, and DE-A-3334999. U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,841 discloses a washing/sterilizing apparatus for an endoscope comprising a receptacle adapted to receive the endoscope, means for supplying the receptacle with a disinfection fluid, means for supplying the receptacle with a rising fluid, and removing means for removing any fluid from the receptacle.
FIG. 1
depicts an apparatus
5
for cleaning transesophageal echo (TEE) probes
10
as disclosed in EP-A-0862894 by the same applicant and inventors. Transesophageal echo (TEE) cardiography is an established technique in the area of cardiac imaging and involves the insertion of an ultrasound TEE probe into a subject's esophagus to scan the heart from inside the esophagus. For cleaning the TEE probe
10
, the TEE probe is inserted through an upper rim
15
, as an inlet of a receptacle
20
, into the receptacle
20
(such as a tube) of the TEE probe tester
5
. The receptacle
20
is provided with a first inlet
30
for supplying a disinfection fluid into the receptacle
20
, a second inlet
40
for supplying a rinsing fluid into the receptacle
20
, and a first outlet
50
for removing any fluid from the receptacle
20
. The receptacle
20
might further be coupled with an insulation tester
60
providing a first contact
70
within the receptacle
20
and a second contact
80
to be connected with an electrical shielding
90
of the TEE probe
10
.
The first inlet
30
may be coupled via a first controller
100
to a first tank
110
containing the disinfection fluid, the second inlet
40
may be coupled via a second controller
120
to a second tank
130
containing the rinsing fluid, and the first outlet
50
may be coupled via a third controller
140
to a third tank
150
for receiving the disinfection fluid and/or the rinsing fluid. The third tank
150
may also receive only the rinsing fluid, and the disinfection fluid is removed back into the first tank
110
and may be exchanged occasionally, e.g., after 10 days. The receptacle
20
may also comprise a fourth outlet coupled to a fourth tank for receiving the disinfection fluid after use. More details and embodiments of the apparatus
5
are readily applicable from EP-A-0862894.
Although the TEE probe tester
5
of
FIG. 1
provides an excellent tool for cleaning medical devices, it has been proved to become difficult to insert the medical devices into the receptacle
20
without touching the rim
15
. This, however, might lead to a contamination of the rim
15
and thus to a re-contamination of the medical device
10
when it touches the rim
15
during removal from the receptacle
20
after being cleaned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved and safer cleaning of medical devices avoiding a re-contamination of the medical devices.
The object is solved by the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are shown by the dependent claims.
According to the invention, the cleaning apparatus is provided with an overflow for receiving fluid (purposely) washed over the inlet for cleaning the inlet. After inserting the medical device through the inlet into the receptacle, the inlet is washed over with the fluid, thus cleaning the inlet. A re-contamination of the medical device by touching the inlet during removal from the receptacle can therefore be avoided.
The overflow is preferably situated on an outside wall of the receptacle and might be shaped as a funnel around the receptacle. The inlet preferably represents an upper rim of the receptacle. The overflow preferably comprises means, such as an outlet, basin or reservoir, for providing fluid washed-over back into the receptacle or into a container for receiving used fluid.


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