Importance

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Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to a ventilator treatment system configured to sterilize and/or disinfect a fluid pathway through a ventilator by providing a forced flow of treatment gas to the ventilator. Ventilators are frequently contaminated with bacteria and viruses during normal use. When a ventilator is moved from one patient to the next, there is a risk of contaminating the new patient with a pathogen from the previous patient. The application of treatment gas is especially practical for sanitizing hard to access surfaces such as those found in the cavities and conduits (the fluid pathway) of a ventilator. A treatment gas such as, for example, ozone, converts back to oxygen and has a short half life, which can be further reduced with humidity, heat, or inexpensive destruct catalysts. This disclosure is applicable to any medical device with a fluid pathway that can become contaminated, provided the materials in the fluid pathway of the medical device are compatible with the sterilization and/or disinfection gas. In one embodiment, the ventilator sterilization system comprises one or more of a treatment gas flow generator, a gas circuit, a user interface, one or more sensors, a treatment gas remediation system, an exhaust port, one or more valves, a processor, electronic storage, and/or other components.

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First Claim