Catheterization Tray Partition for Sterile-Field Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catheterization packages designed for one-person use can compromise sterile technique due to contamination risks during catheter insertion, as nurses manipulate non-sterile and sterile components, leading to unintended complications.

Innovation Solution

A catheterization package with a tray configured to maintain a sterile field, separating sterile and non-sterile sides, allowing two healthcare providers to perform distinct steps, ensuring sterile technique by designating one person for sterile tasks within the sterile field and another for non-sterile tasks outside it.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a one-person catheterization process is used, then the operation is simpler and faster, but the risk of contamination to sterile parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheterization process efficiencyVSAvoidsterile technique maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The catheterization tray is segmented into distinct sterile and non-sterile sides with physical partitions. The sterile side contains only sterile items (catheter, syringes, sterile gloves) while the non-sterile side contains non-sterile items (perineal care kit, non-sterile gloves, drainage bag). This segmentation prevents contamination by clearly separating sterile and non-sterile zones, allowing one person to perform both sterile and non-sterile tasks without compromising sterility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If sterile and non-sterile components are mixed on the tray, then the tray structure is simpler, but contamination risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetray structureVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tray is divided into sterile and non-sterile sides by partitions, creating distinct zones for sterile and non-sterile components. This segmentation maintains structural simplicity while effectively preventing contamination through physical separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the tray are assigned different sterility qualities - the sterile side maintains sterility for catheter insertion, while the non-sterile side allows non-sterile activities like perineal care. This local quality differentiation ensures that sterility is maintained where needed without requiring the entire tray to be sterile.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250276154A1Catheter Insertion-Tray Systems and Methods Thereof

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 CR BARD INC

AI summary

A catheterization tray includes a sterile side configured to enable a user to carry out sterile steps of a catheterization procedure in a sterile field and a set of sterile items positioned in the sterile side of the catheterization tray. The catheterization tray further includes a non-sterile side configured to enable a user to carry out non-sterile steps of the catheterization procedure outside of the sterile field and a set of non-sterile items positioned in the non-sterile side of the catheterization tray. The catheterization tray further includes a partition extending between the sterile side and the non-sterile side from a first side wall of the catheterization tray to a second side wall of the catheterization tray to maintain sterility of the sterile side of the catheterization tray.