Method to create Self-Sterilizing Devices using Plasma Energy

Maintains a Constant Rate of Sterilization When Built Into Medical Devices and Surfaces

Signet’s Sterilal™ is a unique medical sterilization process technology. The self-sterilization technology utilizes plasma energy to provide self-sterilizing properties for medical devices, equipment, and surfaces. The process neutralizes contamination in seconds using a self-generated plasma field, while simultaneously minimizing risk of exposure and offering the highest levels of sterility.

Developed by researchers at the University of Florida, the Sterilal™ is a sterilization technique that enables medical devices to maintain a constant state of sterilization for fast, economical, and safe reuse or disposal. Built into a device itself, the self-sterilization could potentially apply to numerous medical devices such as scalpels, syringes, and catheters, as well as various surfaces that come into contact with patients and healthcare workers.

The Sterilal™’s self-generated plasma field offers numerous advantages over present methods of sterilization of medical devices. This self-generated plasma field allows self-sterilization of objects, apparatuses, and surfaces. As the field neutralizes contamination in seconds, it allows reuse of devices and equipment, which reduces time, costs, and inventory. The process further eliminates the need for toxic chemicals used in traditional sterilization procedures, reducing potential exposure and related hazards.

Flexible and adaptable, the device-specific technology can be applied to any surface of any shape or size. The plasma field utilizes inexpensive electrodes, insulators, and electro-active components that ensure easy and cost-efficient manufacturing.

The Sterilal™ comes as a response to the CDC’s estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,200 deaths that occur in the United States each year due to some form of contamination. Once applied, the Sterilal™ can effectively self-sterilize devices used in medical procedures, drug delivery, consumer products, and food preparation affording them with self-sterilizing properties.

Applications
Technique that affords self-sterilizing properties to medical devices as well as equipment or surfaces that require a constant state of sterilization for medical procedures, drug delivery, consumer products, or food preparation equipment

Advantages
• Neutralizes contamination in seconds using a self-generated plasma field, minimizing risk of exposure and offering the highest levels of sterility
• Allows reuse of devices and equipment, reducing costs, time, and inventory
• Utilizes inexpensive electrodes, insulators, and electro-active components, ensuring easy and cost-efficient manufacturing
• Eliminates the need for toxic chemicals used in traditional sterilization procedures, reducing potential exposure and related hazards
• Applies to surfaces of various shapes and sizes, providing device-specific flexibility

Technology
This self-generated plasma field allows self-sterilization of objects, apparatuses, and surfaces. Traditionally, plasma discharge involves placing a DC voltage potential across two electrodes. As the voltage potential gradually increases, upon reaching the breakdown voltage VB, the current and the amount of excitation of the neutral gas becomes large enough to produce visible plasma. Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) involves one dielectric-coated electrode that is typically exposed at the surface to the surrounding atmosphere, while another electrode is embedded inside a layer of insulator. University of Florida researchers have found that with special DBD arrangements, a fast reduction of viable cells by more than four orders of magnitude is possible within a few seconds, even for UV resistant cells. Thus, a self-generating plasma field is able to maintain a constant rate of sterilization when built into medical devices and surfaces.

For more information about Sterilal™ and its the revolutionary applications, contact:

Mr. Ernest W. Letiziano
Signet International Holdings, Inc.
Palm Beach, Florida USA 561-832-2000

http://www.signetinternationalholdings.com

eMail: eletiziano@aol.com or info@signetinternationalholdings.com