Anprolene

Anprolene is a registered trade name for ethylene oxide that belongs to Andersen Sterilizers.

Harold Willids Andersen invented Anprolene in 1967 and used plastic bags and small ampoules, hence, substantially less ethylene oxide (EtO) than traditional chamber type sterilizers. The "gas diffusion" 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 gas diffusion method, Sterijet, was invented and used to sterilize Andersen Tubes and other medical devices.