Breathing Tube Securing Device with Integrated Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Anesthetic gases often leak from breathing tubes during surgical procedures, contaminating the operating room environment and exposing personnel to health risks, while current securing methods can lead to hand contamination with infectious organisms.
Innovation Solution
A sanitary breathing tube securing device with radially perforated tear lines and adhesive tabs, combined with suction tubing attached to the anesthesia machine, effectively secures the tube and evacuates leaking anesthetic gases and aerosolized particles, preventing their dispersal into the room.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive surgical tape is used to secure the breathing tube, then the tube is secured to the patient's airway, but the gloved hand becomes contaminated with infectious organisms from oral secretions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a barrier device (oral secretions barrier) as an intermediary between the patient's oral secretions and the anesthesiologist's gloved hand. This barrier prevents direct contact and contamination while allowing the tube securing procedure to proceed effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable adhesive tape segments that are used once and then discarded, preventing the spread of infectious organisms from one patient to another and eliminating the need to sterilize reusable tape rolls between procedures.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the breathing tube cuff is inflated to higher pressures to prevent gas leakage, then anesthetic gas leakage is reduced, but patient discomfort and potential tissue damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a scavenging system as an intermediary component that captures anesthetic gases at the source (around the breathing tube cuff) and redirects them away from the operating room environment, allowing the cuff to maintain lower, more comfortable pressures while still preventing harmful gas leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful anesthetic gases from the operating room environment by using a scavenging system to remove and redirect the gases away from personnel, thereby preventing exposure without requiring higher cuff pressures.
3Productivity
If adhesive tape is reused across multiple patients, then productivity increases, but the risk of transmitting infectious organisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable adhesive tape segments that are used once and then discarded, preventing the spread of infectious organisms from one patient to another. Although this increases material consumption, it eliminates the risk of cross-contamination and the need for complex sterilization protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the adhesive tape into individual segments or segments that can be easily separated and discarded after single use, making the transition from reusable to disposable format practical and efficient.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device ensures a sanitary environment by preventing the spread of infectious organisms and significantly reducing anesthetic gas leakage, thereby protecting both patients and medical staff from health risks.
Implementation Method 1
suction tubing attached to the anesthesia machine, effectively secures the tube and evacuates leaking anesthetic gases and aerosolized particles
Implementation Method 2
adhesive tabs, combined with suction tubing attached to the anesthesia machine, effectively secures the tube
Data Source
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AI summary
A sanitary device for securing a breathing tube to a patient during anesthesia administration, which also prevents leaking anesthetic gases from entering the operating room environment. The novel design allows rapid application by the user and prevents potential transmission of infectious agents to the patient while securing the breathing tube. A unique, integrated suction system efficiently evacuates leaking anesthetic gases. The device may be manufactured inexpensively and is provided in sanitary packaging. It is intended for single use.