Abstract: A medical device having a regular or irregular shape is sterilized in a sterilizing apparatus comprising a means for moveably supporting the medical device, and a electrode having an anode tip at one end thereof which is positioned to form a gap with a predetermined length between the anode tip and the medical device. To sterilize a portion of an outer surface of the medical device at the anode tip of the electrode, predetermined first and second voltages are applied to the anode tip and the medical device, respectively. The voltage and current applied to the anode tip and the medical device are raised to predetermined values to provide a voltage differential across the gap to form a glow discharge adjacent the outer surface of the medical device for sterilizing the outer surface of the medical device.