Self-Collection Device for Cervical Samples
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cervical cancer screening methods, such as Pap smears, require professional assistance and are invasive, causing discomfort and embarrassment for patients, and do not allow for self-collection and remote analysis of vaginal and cervical samples.
Innovation Solution
A device and system enabling self-collection of vaginal and cervical samples using a hand-held enclosure with a sample-collecting head that can be advanced and rotated by the user, combined with a collection receptacle for preserving and transporting the samples, reducing contamination and discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional Pap smear procedure is performed by a medical professional, then the sample collection is performed with proper technique and equipment, but the patient experiences embarrassment, discomfort, and physical trauma from the invasive procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables patients to perform cervical cell collection themselves using a self-contained device that they can insert and operate independently. The device includes a collection head with brushes that patients can insert into the vaginal canal and rotate to collect cells, eliminating the need for a medical professional to perform the procedure and thereby reducing embarrassment and discomfort
Solution Approach 2:
The collection device is divided into separate functional components: a collection head with brushes for sample acquisition, a containment structure to hold the collected cells, and a transfer mechanism. This segmentation allows the patient to perform the collection without direct manipulation of the sampling instruments by a provider, reducing physical discomfort while maintaining collection effectiveness
2Ease of operation
If a patient self-collects the sample at home, then patient convenience and accessibility are improved, but there is a risk of sample contamination that could adversely affect test results
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a nested structure where the collection head is contained within a protective housing, which is in turn contained within an outer containment structure. Multiple layers of protection and containment are integrated to prevent contamination during self-collection and transport, maintaining sample integrity while enabling home-based collection
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes intermediary components such as sterile barriers, protective coverings, and controlled transfer mechanisms that mediate between the patient's environment and the biological sample. These intermediaries prevent contamination from external sources while allowing the patient to successfully collect and transport the sample
3Measurement precision
If a medical professional performs the Pap smear in a clinical setting, then proper sampling technique is ensured, but the patient must take time away from work or family and travel to a medical office
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed to be used at the patient's convenience without requiring a scheduled appointment or travel to a clinic. Patients can perform the collection themselves in the comfort of their own homes, eliminating the time commitment required for traveling to and waiting at a medical office while maintaining sampling effectiveness through proper device design
Data Source
AI summary
A device for self-collection of a cervical sample includes an enclosure, a sample-collecting head, and a slider and a knob on the enclosure. The enclosure can be gripped by a user in one hand and inserted into the user's vaginal canal. The enclosure has an opening at one end, and a sample-collecting head can be advanced and retracted through the opening. The slider is on a side of the enclosure and is coupled to advance and retract the sample-collecting head, typically using a thumb. The knob is rotated by the user to rotate the sample-collecting head while the enclosure remains in the user's vaginal canal.