Cannula Coating for Lumbar Puncture Cleanliness

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cannulas for lumbar puncture and injection require extensive cleaning to prevent contamination, which is time-consuming and may lead to material ions detaching into the fluid, compromising patient safety.

Innovation Solution

A cannula with a coating applied inside and outside around the opening, created through machining or laser cutting, ensures cleanliness and prevents material detachment, while maintaining atraumatic functionality and minimizing diameter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If extensive cleaning is performed on the cannula tube to remove contamination, then cleanliness is improved, but manufacturing time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecleanlinessVSAvoidmanufacturing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A coating is applied to the inner surface of the cannula tube before final assembly, creating a protective layer that prevents contamination adherence and facilitates easier cleaning. This preliminary protective action eliminates the need for extensive post-manufacturing cleaning procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The inner surface properties of the cannula tube are modified by applying a coating material with different surface characteristics (smoother, less adhesive). This parameter change in surface properties prevents contamination from adhering strongly, thereby reducing cleaning time and complexity while maintaining high cleanliness standards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the cannula tube is cleaned extensively to remove all residues, then patient safety is improved, but production cost and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs a disposable cannula design where the entire cannula tube is coated with a single-use protective layer. After one use, the entire cannula is discarded, eliminating the need for complex sterilization and cleaning processes while ensuring patient safety through guaranteed cleanliness of a never-before-used device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface parameters of the cannula tube are permanently altered through coating application, creating a non-adhesive surface that prevents contamination. This parameter change ensures that even if residues remain after manufacturing, they cannot adhere to the coated surface, thereby ensuring patient safety without requiring complex cleaning verification processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the opening is machined to ensure precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveopening precisionVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The opening is pre-formed in the cannula tube during the extrusion or drawing process, rather than being machined afterward. This preliminary formation of the opening maintains sufficient precision for medical use while dramatically reducing production time compared to post-manufacturing machining operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional mechanical machining of the opening is replaced by forming the opening through material extrusion or drawing processes. This substitution of manufacturing methods achieves the necessary opening precision through controlled material flow and cooling, eliminating time-consuming machining operations while maintaining production efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 coating ensures the cannula is thoroughly clean, reduces production-related roughness, and prevents tissue penetration, enhancing patient safety and operational efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the coating prevents material, for example in the form of metal ions, from being able to detach from the cannula tube and enter the liquid flowing through the cannula tube

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

the coating can achieve optimization and/or leveling of the surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface coating: Coatings

Data Source

PatentEP3858269B1Cannula, in particular for lumbar puncture and injection, and method for its manufacture
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 PAJUNK GMBH MEDIZINTECH
  • EP3858269B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~2
  • EP3858269B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cannula (1, 1'), in particular for lumbar puncture and injection, with a proximal end (4) and a distal end (5), comprising a cannula tube (10) with an inner surface (11), an outer surface (12), a first end region and a second end region which forms a cannula channel (15), wherein the cannula tube (10) has a tip (14) at the second end region which forms the distal end (5) of the cannula (1), wherein the cannula tube (10) has an opening (20) of the cannula channel (15), and wherein at least in the cannula channel (15) a coating (18) is provided on the inner surface (11) around the opening (20).