STERILIZATION ENCLOSURE FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

There is disclosed a sterilization enclosure to be placed within a sterilizer, the sterilization enclosure comprising: an interior for accommodating at least one surgical instrument and maintaining sterility of the at least one surgical instrument after the sterilization enclosure is removed from the sterilizer; a light source coupled to said enclosure to illuminate said interior and the at least one surgical instrument positioned within said interior; a transparent window, such that said interior and the at least one surgical instrument are visible through said transparent window; and a process indicator that is either disposed within the interior of the sterilization enclosure or coupled to an external surface of the sterilization enclosure and in fluid communication with the interior of the sterilization enclosure, such that the process indicator is exposed to a sterilant disposed within the interior of the sterilization enclosure; and wherein the process indicator includes are one of a biological indicator or a chemical indicator, the process indicator configured to indicate a sterile state of the instruments disposed within the interior of the sterilization enclosure based on a desired sterile state; wherein the biological indicator comprises a collection of living spores resistant to the sterilant agent; and wherein the chemical indicator comprises one or more chemicals that are sensitive to the sterilant gases, temperature, and/or pressure.