Catheter Connector With Hinged Clamp For Abscess Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical drainage methods for abscesses, particularly cutaneous and oral abscesses, require frequent adjustment to maintain open drainage paths, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, especially in accessing and managing fluid accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A catheter device with a connector system that includes a hinged element to secure and clamp the distal end of the catheter, allowing for fluid flow control and secure placement within the abscess, featuring a lumen extending from the proximal end to the distal end with openings for fluid delivery and drainage, and a connector that can be coupled with a syringe for irrigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a drainage catheter is inserted into an abscess cavity to facilitate drainage, then fluid drainage is improved, but the drainage path becomes prone to clogging requiring frequent adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates a movable stylet that can be advanced or retracted dynamically. When the stylet is advanced, it mechanically clears clogged drainage paths by scraping the catheter interior. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows the system to maintain drainage efficiency without requiring complete catheter removal or complex surgical intervention, thus improving productivity while reducing the operational burden of frequent adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The stylet is designed to be easily insertable and removable by the patient or caregiver themselves. The self-service capability allows users to clear clogged drainage paths independently without requiring professional medical intervention for each adjustment, significantly reducing the frequency and complexity of operational adjustments while maintaining continuous drainage efficiency.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If packing material is inserted into the abscess cavity to prevent skin closure and enable continued drainage, then drainage continuity is improved, but patient comfort and ease of care deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the packing material function entirely, replacing it with an internal catheter-stylet mechanism that maintains drainage continuity without requiring foreign material left in the abscess cavity. The stylet can be advanced to clear clogs internally, eliminating the need for gauze or packing material that would otherwise remain in the wound, thereby maintaining drainage continuity while significantly improving patient comfort and ease of care.
Solution Approach 2:
The stylet acts as an intermediary mechanism between the external user and the internal catheter lumen. Instead of using packing material as a passive mediator that requires frequent changes, the stylet actively mediates drainage path maintenance through mechanical clearing, providing continuous drainage without the discomfort and care burden associated with retained packing material.
3Productivity
If a hemostat is used to explore the wound and break up hardened pus pockets, then drainage effectiveness is improved, but the complexity and invasiveness of the procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the exploration and drainage functions into a single integrated catheter-stylet system. The stylet serves both to mechanically break up hardened pus pockets (exploration function) and to clear the drainage path simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate hemostat manipulation and wound exploration steps, reducing procedure complexity while maintaining or improving drainage effectiveness through the integrated mechanical action.
Solution Approach 2:
The stylet is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both an exploration tool to break up hardened pus and a drainage clearance mechanism. This universal component replaces the need for multiple specialized instruments (scalpel, hemostat, exploration tools), thereby reducing device complexity and procedural steps while achieving comprehensive drainage effectiveness through a single versatile mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
In some embodiments, a catheter device may include a catheter including a proximal end and a distal end. The catheter device may further include a connector coupled to the proximal end of the catheter. The connector may include a base having a recess configured to receive the distal end of the catheter and may include a hinged portion configured to couple to the base to clamp the catheter within the recess.