Method and apparatus for reducing residual levels of ethylene oxide in repeatedly sterilized polymeric devices

Claim 1

A medical device capable of being repeatedly sterilized with ethylene oxide without warping or melting and without build-up of residual levels of ethylene oxide therein, comprising: a polymeric base having generally rigid sides dimensioned for receiving medical instruments and apertures for allowing ethylene oxide to pass through said polymeric base; a polymeric lid for covering said polymeric base to define a polymeric container for medical instruments; said lid having an aperture therein to allow passage of ethylene oxide, wherein ethylene oxide comes in contact with both the exterior and interior surfaces of said container; and a coating of dense material formed over the interior and exterior surfaces of said polymeric base and said polymeric lid, said coating having the characteristic of inhibiting penetration of the interior and exterior surfaces of said polymeric base and said polymeric lid by the ethylene oxide, thereby reducing build-up of residual levels of the ethylene oxide on the interior and exterior surfaces of said polymeric base and said polymeric lid.