Device and needleless connector for obtaining confirmation of disinfection completion

Abstract

The utility model relates to a device for confirming the completion of disinfection and a needleless connector. The device comprises an electrically activated light source. The device also includes at least one housing having a wall formed by a diffusion control film and encapsulating a salt that is soluble in a sanitizer for disinfection. The at least one housing and the light source are electrically connected in series.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to components for medical infusion devices, and in particular to a device that enables confirmation of disinfection of components for medical infusion devices. BACKGROUND

[0002] When connecting or changing infusion tubing during patient treatment, various components (e.g., connectors) exposed to air need to be disinfected to avoid blood stream infections. The Infection Control Nurses Association (INS) has established a standard operating procedure for disinfecting these components, which requires disinfecting the components for a certain amount of time. However, studies have shown that medical service providers do not always disinfect the components for the prescribed amount of time. This can be because the providers do not have an accurate way to measure whether the components have been disinfected. SUMMARY

[0003] In view of the above challenges, there is a need for a means that can provide visual confirmation that a component has been properly disinfected. Aspects of the subject technology relate to devices and methods that can visually confirm that a component, such as a connector, has been properly disinfected. The devices and methods can be properly configured to provide confirmation of a variety of disinfectants and for a variety of types of components, including, for example, needleless connectors for connecting medical infusion tubing. The devices described herein can be used as standalone devices that can be coupled to different components or integrated into components during manufacture of the components.

[0004] Advantages of the subject technology include improved patient safety and medical service provider workflow efficiency by providing a simple and built-in method for obtaining confirmation of adequate disinfection of components used in medical infusion devices prior to use of the components. For example, in one aspect of the disclosure, a device for obtaining confirmation of disinfection completion includes an electrically activated light source and at least one enclosure having walls formed of a diffusion control membrane and encapsulating a salt. The salt is selected to be soluble in a disinfectant used for disinfection. The at least one enclosure, the power source, and the light source are electrically connected in series. The device can additionally include a power source for providing electrical energy to the at least one light source. Advantageously, by properly selecting the salt, the device can be modified to obtain disinfection confirmation when using a variety of different disinfectants. Moreover, the device can also provide a visual indication that the disinfectant has evaporated and that the component is ready for use.

[0005] Another example includes a needleless connector having a power source, an electrically activated light source, and at least one housing having walls formed from a diffusion control membrane and encapsulating a salt. The salt is selected to be soluble in a disinfectant used for disinfection. The at least one housing, the power source, and the light source are electrically connected in series. By selecting a suitable salt that is soluble in the particular disinfectant used, the needleless connector can be appropriately modified to provide a visual indication of disinfection completion using a variety of disinfectants.

[0006] Embodiments include one or more of the following features alone or in combination. For example, the diffusion control membrane is configured to control permeation of the disinfectant through the diffusion control membrane such that the ionic mobility of the salt dissolved in the disinfectant is sufficient to activate the light source only after the disinfectant has permeated through the diffusion control membrane for a predetermined amount of time. Such a diffusion control membrane can include materials such as polyether sulfone (PES), polystyrene, molybdenum disulfide, or graphene.

[0007] Other advantages of the subject technology will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain principles of embodiments of the disclosure. In the drawings:

[0009] Figure 1A An apparatus for providing confirmation of disinfection completion is shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 1B is a schematic of a housing encapsulating a salt in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 A needleless connector is shown that can provide confirmation of disinfection completion in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The detailed description set forth below describes various configurations of the subject technology and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the subject technology can be practiced. The detailed description is included to provide a thorough understanding of the subject technology. Accordingly, the description of some aspects is provided as non-limiting examples. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the subject technology can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the subject technology.

[0013] It should be understood that the present disclosure includes examples of the subject technology and does not limit the scope of the appended claims. Various aspects of the subject technology will be described below with reference to particular but non-limiting examples. The various embodiments described in this disclosure can be implemented in different ways and with variations and according to intended applications and implementations.

[0014] Aspects of the subject technology relate to components of medical infusion devices that require disinfection prior to use to avoid the risk of blood stream infections. The Infusion Nurses Society (INS) provides standard operating procedures for disinfecting these components. The procedure includes wiping the component with a disinfectant swab for a certain amount of time prior to using the component. The amount of time the component is wiped can vary depending on the specific disinfectant. The prescribed amount of time is based on empirical data collected during studies to determine the amount of time required to achieve a certain amount of disinfection (e.g., 99.99%) of the component using the prescribed method of wiping the component with a disinfectant for a specific disinfectant. For example, the INS recommends wiping a needleless connector with an isopropyl alcohol swab (70% solution) for at least 15 seconds.

[0015] However, during use, it is often difficult for a medical service provider (e.g., an infusion nurse) to keep track of time, and thus, the provider can not know whether the component was properly disinfected. In fact, studies have shown that providers often fail to wipe the component for the prescribed amount of time. Additionally, it is also difficult for the provider to determine when the component is ready for use, i.e., when the disinfectant has evaporated or is no longer present on the surface of the component.

[0016] Aspects of the subject technology relate to devices and methods that facilitate proper disinfection of components of infusion tubing by providing a visual confirmation that disinfection has been completed according to the prescribed procedure. Additionally, the devices and methods disclosed herein provide a visual indication that the disinfectant has evaporated from the component and that the component is ready for use. Advantageously, the devices can be attached to existing components or can be integrated into the components at the time of manufacture, so as to eliminate additional steps during the workflow. Various aspects of the present disclosure provide a medical grade needleless connector having a built-in mechanism for providing a visual confirmation that the needleless connector was properly disinfected, as well as a further visual confirmation that the disinfectant used for disinfection has evaporated and that the connector is ready for use.

[0017] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of an apparatus for providing visual confirmation of disinfection completion is shown, according to various aspects of this disclosure.

[0018] In some embodiments, the device 100 may include a power supply 105, an electrically activated light source 110, and at least one housing 115. The power supply 105, the light source 110, and at least one housing 115 are connected in series via conductive leads 120.

[0019] like Figure 1A As shown, the device 100 can be designed to fit snugly onto the outer edge of a needleless connector used for connecting medical infusion devices. However, there are no particular limitations on the shape and size of the device.

[0020] The power source 105 can be any suitable power source sufficient to supply power to the circuitry formed by the light source 110, at least one housing 115, and wires 120. Therefore, the power source 105 can be a commercially available battery. While there are no particular limitations on battery capacity, in some embodiments, the battery size may have to be limited, thus limiting the battery capacity, depending on the design of the device. However, those skilled in the art will be able to readily select a suitable battery for the device after understanding this disclosure.

[0021] Light source 110 can be any suitable light source. However, in some embodiments, a light-emitting diode (LED) can be used as light source 110, depending on the specific application of device 100. While any suitable commercially available LED capable of being adapted to the physical design parameters of the device can be used, those skilled in the art will recognize that the selected LED should have sufficient luminous intensity to distinguish the on and off states of the LED, at least in indoor diffuse lighting. Thus, for example, a suitable LED may have a luminous intensity of at least approximately 10 mcd. The suitable form factor of the LED may depend on the design parameters of device 100.

[0022] The conductive lead 120 can be a standard insulated (or laminated) copper wire used for connecting electronic components. However, there are no particular restrictions on the type of conductive lead 120 that can be used in the device, as long as the wire material allows the device 100 to be formed within the desired design parameters.

[0023] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of housing 115 is shown. At least one wall 1150 of housing 115 includes a diffusion control membrane. Housing 115 encapsulates an ionic salt 1155. Ionic salt 1155 is selected to be soluble in a disinfectant. The diffusion control membrane is selected to allow the disinfectant (e.g., isopropanol) to diffuse through the wall, but to prevent the diffusion of ionic salt 1155 and / or ions of the salt once the salt is dissolved in the disinfectant.

[0024] The size and shape of the housing 115 are selected to allow the disinfectant to diffuse through the wall 1150 at a rate that gradually increases the ionic mobility of the salt to allow sufficient current to flow through the circuit to activate the light source 110 only after a prescribed amount of time. Thus, the housing 115 acts as a variable resistor in the circuit, and the resistance provided by the housing 115 decreases as more disinfectant diffuses through the wall 1150. When the resistance provided by the housing 115 decreases to a threshold value, sufficient current flows through the circuit to activate the light source 110, thereby providing a visual confirmation of disinfection completion.

[0025] Thus, in some embodiments, the volume of the housing 115 can be in the range of about 1 nl to about 1 pl. For example, the housing 115 can have a volume of about 1 nl, about 5 nl, about 10 nl, about 15 nl, about 20 nl, about 25 nl, about 30 nl, about 35 nl, about 40 nl, about 45 nl, about 50 nl, about 55 nl, about 60 nl, about 65 nl, about 70 nl, about 75 nl, about 80 nl, about 85 nl, about 90 nl, about 100 nl, about 110 nl, about 120 nl, about 130 nl, about 140 nl, about 150 nl, about 160 nl, about 170 nl, about 180 nl, about 190 nl, about 200 nl, about 220 nl, about 240 nl, about 260 nl, about 280 nl, about 300 nl, about 325 nl, about 350 nl, about 375 nl, about 400 nl, about 450 nl, about 500 nl, about 550 nl, about 600 nl, about 650 nl, about 700 nl, about 750 nl, about 800 nl, about 850 nl, about 900 nl, about 950 nl, about 1000 nl, or any volume between any two of these volumes.

[0026] The diffusion control membrane is selected not only to control the material that can diffuse through the membrane, but also to control the rate of diffusion. The diffusion control membrane controls the rate of diffusion of the disinfectant such that the resistance provided by the housing 115 decreases to a threshold value only after a prescribed amount of time. Thus, the light source 110 will only be activated after the disinfectant has been applied to the device for a prescribed amount of time, thereby providing a visual confirmation that the device has been exposed to the disinfectant for a prescribed amount of time and that the disinfection process has been properly performed.

[0027] In some embodiments, an amount of salt 1155 can be enclosed in the enclosure 115, and the enclosure sealed with a diffusion control membrane 1150. The salt 1155 is selected to be soluble in the disinfectant that will be used to disinfect the component. Examples of salts that can be used include, but are not limited to, inorganic salts such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride, and magnesium chloride, or organic salts such as octanoic acid and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB).

[0028] In some embodiments, the enclosure 115 and the salt 1155 therein are designed and configured to be able to reduce the electrical resistance to a threshold value after a time period ranging from about 1 second to about 1 minute. In other words, the enclosure and the salt therein are designed and configured such that the light source is activated only after the disinfectant has diffused through the wall 1150 for a time ranging from about 1 second to about 1 minute. Thus, in some embodiments, the device 100 is designed and configured such that the light source is activated after exposure to the disinfectant for about 1 second, about 2 seconds, about 3 seconds, about 4 seconds, about 5 seconds, about 6 seconds, about 7 seconds, about 8 seconds, about 9 seconds, about 10 seconds, about 11 seconds, about 12 seconds, about 13 seconds, about 14 seconds, about 15 seconds, about 16 seconds, about 17 seconds, about 18 seconds, about 19 seconds, about 20 seconds, about 21 seconds, about 22 seconds, about 23 seconds, about 24 seconds, about 25 seconds, about 26 seconds, about 27 seconds, about 28 seconds, about 29 seconds, about 30 seconds, about 31 seconds, about 32 seconds, about 33 seconds, about 34 seconds, about 35 seconds, about 36 seconds, about 37 seconds, about 38 seconds, about 39 seconds, about 40 seconds, about 41 seconds, about 42 seconds, about 43 seconds, about 44 seconds, about 45 seconds, about 46 seconds, about 47 seconds, about 48 seconds, about 49 seconds, about 50 seconds, about 51 seconds, about 52 seconds, about 53 seconds, about 54 seconds, about 55 seconds, about 56 seconds, about 57 seconds, about 58 seconds, about 59 seconds, about 60 seconds, or even longer.

[0029] Furthermore, as the disinfectant evaporates, the ionic mobility of the salt decreases, thereby increasing the electrical resistance of the salt above the threshold value, thereby deactivating the light source 110 and providing an indication that the disinfectant has evaporated and the component is ready for use.

[0030] Accordingly, the range of electrical resistance provided by the enclosure can be from several kilo-ohms in a dry state to several ohms when the enclosure is filled with a disinfectant solution and the salt encapsulated therein dissolves in the disinfectant solution. In some embodiments, the threshold resistance when the light source is activated can be in a range from about 10 Ω to about 500 Ω. For example, the threshold resistance can be about 10 Ω, about 15 Ω, about 20 Ω, about 25 Ω, about 30 Ω, about 35 Ω, about 40 Ω, about 45 Ω, about 50 Ω, about 55 Ω, about 60 Ω, about 65 Ω, about 70 Ω, about 75 Ω, about 80 Ω, about 85 Ω, about 90 Ω, about 95 Ω, about 100 Ω, about 110 Ω, about 120 Ω, about 130 Ω, about 140 Ω, about 150 Ω, about 160 Ω, about 170 Ω, about 180 Ω, about 190 Ω, about 200 Ω, about 220 Ω, about 240 Ω, about 260 Ω, about 280 Ω, about 300 Ω, about 325 Ω, about 350 Ω, about 375 Ω, about 400 Ω, about 450 Ω, about 500 Ω, about or any value between any two of these values.

[0031] In some embodiments, the diffusion control membrane is formed of a material such as, for example, polyether sulfone (PES), polystyrene, molybdenum disulfide, graphene, or a combination thereof. The specific material used for the diffusion control membrane can be selected depending on the specific disinfectant used by the device. Accordingly, any material having adjustable pore size, pore structure, and pore density can be used to form the diffusion control membrane.

[0032] For example, an aqueous solution of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is the most commonly used disinfectant. The molecular size of the disinfectant is approximately 0.4 nm. Accordingly, to allow IPA to diffuse through the diffusion control membrane, the diffusion control membrane should have a pore size greater than 0.4 nm. On the other hand, the pore size should be smaller than the molecular size of the undissolved salt to prevent the undissolved salt from diffusing out of the enclosure 115. Accordingly, the specific pore size used for the diffusion control membrane depends on the specific salt encapsulated within the enclosure 115. However, one of ordinary skill in the art, upon understanding the present disclosure, will readily appreciate that the devices and methods disclosed herein are not limited to using an IPA solution as the disinfectant and can be appropriately modified for any chosen disinfectant. Some disinfectants commonly used to disinfect components of medical infusion devices include, but are not limited to, an IPA solution, chlorhexidine gluconate, povidone-iodine, iodophor, or a combination thereof.

[0033] In some embodiments, where the chosen disinfectant is a solution of two solvents (e.g., IPA and water), the type of salt and the amount of salt are selected to ensure that the salt dissolves in the disinfectant solution without destroying the azeotropic properties of the disinfectant solution. Accordingly, if the disinfectant is, for example, an IPA solution, any salt that is cosoluble with IPA and water can be chosen.

[0034] Without wishing to be bound by theory, in cases where the disinfectant is a solution of two solvents, the chosen salt should dissolve in both the solvents forming the disinfectant solution, as if the salt dissolves in only one of the solvents forming the disinfectant solution, the solvents can separate, resulting in only one of the solvents evaporating while the remaining solvent remains. The remaining solvent can continue to dissolve the salt, such that the electrical conductivity does not decrease despite the evaporation of one of the solvents of the disinfectant. This situation can result in the continuous activation of the light source 110 and no indication that the disinfectant has evaporated can be obtained.

[0035] Figure 2 A schematic of a needleless connector is shown, in which the device 100 is embedded, in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure. The needleless connector 200 includes four (4) housings 215 symmetrically disposed around its opening. The housings 215 are connected with wires 220.

[0036] The design parameters of the housings 215, the battery 105, and the light source 110 are based on the assumption that the connector 200 has a life of about 200 uses. Thus, for example, if it is assumed that the disinfectant solution evaporates in about 10 seconds, the light source 110 should remain activated (i.e., in the on state) for about 10 seconds each time of use. This results in a total activation time of about 35-40 minutes over the life of the connector.

[0037] Such needleless connectors are typically used in hospital environments with indoor diffuse lighting. Thus, in order for the provider to properly distinguish between the on and off states of the light source 110, the minimum luminous intensity of the light source is desirably about 10-20 mcd. For typical light emitting diodes (LEDs) capable of emitting light at intensities in the range of about 10-20 mcd, the current usage during the on state ranges within about 50-100 mA.

[0038] Furthermore, in order to properly embed the battery in the needleless connector, the size of the battery is limited. Some commercially available batteries having a form factor suitable for embedding in a needleless connector have a battery capacity in the range of about 400 mAh. Such batteries, at a discharge current of about 50-100 mA per activation, should last for about 4-8 hours of use. In other words, commercially available small form factor batteries will be sufficient to power the device 100 when embedded in components such as the needleless connector 200.

[0039] With these battery and light source parameters, to provide a suitable resistance value, each enclosure 215 should have an "activated" resistance in the range of about 10 Ω to about 100 Ω. In other words, when the salt is dissolved in the disinfectant solution, the resistance of the enclosure 215 should be in the range of about 10 to about 100 Ω. To achieve such a resistance, within the design constraints of being able to embed the device 100 into components such as the needleless connector 200, in one example, the enclosure can have a total volume of about 4 nl (about 400 pm x 100 pm x 100 pm) and enclose about 2 nl volume of CTAB / octanoic acid, leaving about 2 nl (about 15 ng by weight) of disinfectant solution (70% v / v isopropyl alcohol in water). This enclosure, after being filled with the disinfectant solution, is estimated to have a resistance of about 50 Ω (based on a CTAB conductivity of about 700 pmS / cm).

[0040] In another aspect of the disclosure, a method for disinfecting a component used in a medical infusion set is provided. The method can include applying a disinfectant to the component until a light source is activated, and using the component when the light source is deactivated. The component, via external coupling or embedding therein, includes a device for providing confirmation of disinfection completion, such as, for example, the device 100. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the method can further include coupling the confirmation device, such as, for example, the device 100, to the component prior to applying the disinfectant.

[0041] In some embodiments, applying the disinfectant can include wiping the component with a swab containing the disinfectant. The swab containing the disinfectant can be, for example, a swab soaked in a disinfectant solution. In some embodiments, the disinfectant can be isopropyl alcohol or an aqueous solution of chlorhexidine.

[0042] The present disclosure is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. The disclosure provides various examples of the subject technology, and the subject technology is not limited to these examples. Numerous modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects.

[0043] Unless specifically stated otherwise, a reference to an element in the singular does not preclude the occurrence of additional, identical elements. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term "some" refers to one or more. The term "positive" pronoun (e.g., his) includes female and neutral gender (e.g., her and its), and vice versa. The use of headings and subheadings (if any) is for convenience only and does not limit the disclosure.

[0044] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. In one aspect, various alternative configurations and operations described herein can be considered as equivalent to one another.

[0045] As used herein, the phrase “at least one of’ preceding a series of items, with the term “or” to separate any items of the series, means that at least one of the items of the series is required. The phrase “at least one of’ is not meant to require selection of at least one of the items; rather, the phrase is meant to indicate that a selection of at least one of the items is an acceptable selection. For example, the phrase “at least one of A, B, or C” can mean A or B or C or any combination thereof.

[0046] The phrase “aspect” does not mean that a particular aspect is essential to the subject technology or that the aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure related to one aspect can apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. An aspect can provide one or more examples. The phrase “one aspect” can refer to one or more aspects, and vice versa. The phrase “embodiment” does not mean that a particular embodiment is essential to the subject technology or that the embodiment applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure related to one embodiment can apply to all embodiments or one or more embodiments. An embodiment can provide one or more examples. The phrase “one embodiment” can refer to one or more embodiments, and vice versa. The phrase “configuration” does not mean that a particular configuration is essential to the subject technology or that the configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure related to one configuration can apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. A configuration can provide one or more examples. The phrase such configuration can refer to one or more configurations, and vice versa.

[0047] In one aspect, unless otherwise indicated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. In one aspect, they are intended to have a reasonable range commensurate with the functions to which they relate and with ordinary

[0048] It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes disclosed is an illustration. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that specific ordering or hierarchy of steps, operations or processes can be re-arranged, unless otherwise specifically described herein. Some of the steps, operations or processes can be performed simultaneously. Some or all of the steps, operations or processes can be performed automatically, without the need for user intervention. The accompanying method claims, if any, present elements of the various steps, operations or processes in a sample order, and are not meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

[0049] All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether these aspects are explicitly recited in the claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms "includes," "including," "has," "have," "having," "contains" or "containing" are used in either the detailed description or the claims, these terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising" as an open transition term without precluding any additional or

[0050] The title, background, brief summary, abstract, and drawings are hereby incorporated into this disclosure and provided for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. This application is filed based on the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the DETAILED DESCRIPTION, it can be seen that a description provides illustrative examples, and for the sake of brevity, various features are combined in various embodiments. The disclosed methods should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are explicitly recited in each claim. Rather, the inventive subject matter is directed to less than all of the features described in a single disclosed construction or operation. The claims that follow are hereby incorporated into this detailed description, each claim standing on its own as a separate claimed subject matter.

[0051] The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather "one or more." The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any implementation described herein as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

Claims

1. An apparatus for obtaining confirmation of completion of sterilization, characterized by comprising: The device comprises: an electrically activated light source; and at least one housing having at least one wall comprising a diffusion control membrane and enclosing a salt, the salt being soluble in a disinfectant used for disinfection, wherein the at least one housing and the light source are electrically connected in series.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The diffusion control membrane is configured to be permeable to the disinfectant and impermeable to the non-dissolved salt.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The diffusion control membrane is configured to control the permeation of the disinfectant through the diffusion control membrane such that the ionic mobility of the salt dissolved in the disinfectant is only sufficient to activate the light source after the disinfectant has permeated through the diffusion control membrane for a predetermined amount of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, The predetermined amount of time is in the range of 1 second to 1 minute.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, After the disinfectant has permeated through the diffusion control membrane for the predetermined amount of time, the electrical resistance of the housing is reduced to be in the range of 10 to 100 Ω.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, A power source is further included.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The light source is a light emitting diode.

8. A needleless connector comprising: It comprises: a power source; an electrically activated light source; and at least one housing having at least one wall comprising a diffusion control membrane and enclosing a salt, the salt being soluble in a disinfectant used for disinfecting a surface of a needleless connector to be disinfected, the at least one housing being arranged along the surface of the needleless connector to be disinfected, wherein the at least one housing, the power source and the light source are electrically connected in series.

9. The needleless connector of claim 8, wherein, The diffusion control membrane is configured to control the permeation of the disinfectant through the diffusion control membrane such that the ionic mobility of the salt dissolved in the disinfectant is only sufficient to activate the light source after the disinfectant has permeated through the diffusion control membrane for a predetermined amount of time.

10. The needleless connector of claim 9, wherein, The predetermined amount of time is in the range of 1 second to 1 minute.

11. The needleless connector of claim 9, wherein, After the disinfectant has permeated through the diffusion control membrane for the predetermined amount of time, the electrical resistance of the housing is reduced to be in the range of 10 to 100 Ω.

12. The needleless connector of claim 8, wherein, The diffusion control membrane is configured to be permeable to the disinfectant and impermeable to the non-dissolved salt.

13. The needleless connector of claim 8, wherein, The volume of the at least one housing is in the range of 1 nl to 1 μl.

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