Package for hydrophilic medical instruments
View Patent ↗A plastic package for hydrophilic articles, in particular for hydrophilically coated medical instruments, is intended to ensure the hydrophilic nature of the enclosed instrument over a long period of time. The package comprises at least one receiving compartment with a medical instrument for insertion into body tissue and is characterized in that, after sterilization by radiation, it has a proportion of volatile constituents of ≦0.1 μg/cm2.
1. A plastic package comprising at least one receiving compartment with at least one partially hydrophilic medical instrument for insertion into body tissue, wherein the medical instrument includes a capillary coated with a hydrophilic coating, characterized in that, after sterilization by radiation, it has a proportion of volatile constituents of ≦0.1 μg/cm 2 , wherein the plastic package has a several layer structure, wherein the innermost layer is a layer of polyester.
2. The plastic package as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the medical instrument is chosen from the group comprising puncturing aids, lancets, medical aids and microneedles.
3. The plastic package as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the medical instrument comprises the hydrophilic coating at least in some sections.
4. The plastic package as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the package has a wall thickness in the range of 1 to 500 μm.
5. The plastic package as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the package further encloses a test unit to which body fluid is to be applied.
6. The plastic package as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the package is sterilized by β radiation.
7. The plastic package as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the medical instrument is a microneedle with the capillary coated with the hydrophilic coating.
8. The plastic package as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising:
a test unit configured to test a body fluid; and
separate receiving compartments in which the microneedle and the test unit are received.
9. A method, comprising:
selecting material to produce a plastic package by selecting a material that has a proportion of volatile constituents of ≦0.1 μg/cm 2 after sterilization by radiation;
producing the plastic package with the material, wherein the plastic package has a several layer structure, wherein the innermost layer is a layer of polyester;
selecting a medical instrument including a capillary; applying a hydrophilic coating to the capillary; placing the medical instrument into a compartment of the plastic package;
placing the at least one partially hydrophilic medical instrument into a compartment of the plastic package;
sealing the plastic package after said placing.
sterilizing by radiation the medical instrument in the plastic package; and
wherein the plastic package has a proportion of volatile constituents of ≦0.1 μg/cm 2 after said sterilizing by radiation.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the medical instrument is a microneedle with the capillary coated with the hydrophilic coating.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the medical instrument includes the hydrophilic coating at least in some sections.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said sterilizing includes sterilizing by β radiation.