Anprolene is a registered trade name for ethylene oxide that belongs to Andersen Sterilizers.
Harold W. Andersen invented Anprolene in 19671 and used plastic bags and small ampoules, hence, substantially less ethylene oxide (EtO) than traditional chamber type sterilizers. The "bag method" of using ethylene oxide was particularly useful to Andersen whose invention of the first double lumen nasogastric tube was being used by his colleagues at Bellevue Hospital in New York, NY, where he was chief resident. At that time a single lumen Levin tube was employed clean and packaged, but not sterile. Andersen recognized the need and the Andersen Tube was packaged and sterilized with ethylene oxide. The US EPA registered Anprolene in 1968. Another bag method, Sterijet, was invented and used to sterilize Andersen Tubes and other medical devices.
Plastic, latex and rubber, and the like are "pourous" to Ethylene oxide so that EO or EtO diffuses through a series of bags containing the gas. The bag containing the items for sterilization concentrates the gas for enough time which is why it is called the "bag method" or "gas diffusion method" 2. It is also referred to as "micro-dose sterilization" since each sterilization cycle uses less than 18g of EtO, hence different than the traditional EtO chamber type sterilization that relies on tanks containing pounds of EO.
The gas diffusion bag method is widely used where small quantities of goods require sterilization.
EtO Sterilizer Comparison
MODEL
Type
Load
Management
Capacity
Typical User
Emissions
Abatement
Price range
Anprolene AN74i
Standard tabletop
Single load
2 cu.ft.
Small Practices
Yes
Starting at
$3,950
Anprolene AN74ix
Long tabletop
3 cu.ft.
Anprolene AN74j
Large tabletop
4 cu.ft.
Anprolene AN2000
Standard tabletop
2 cu.ft.
EOGas AN306
Tabletop cabinet
(optional pedestal)
Multi-load
Batch, Industrial
6 cu.ft.
Large Practices, Hospitals, Medical Device Manufacturers
