Disposable Endoscope Sheath with Wrapping Flaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscope disinfection processes are time and resource intensive, requiring significant water usage and numerous steps, which can lead to incomplete disinfection and contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A disposable endoscope sheath with an open configuration that allows radial loading of the endoscope, featuring elongate central portions and wrapping flaps that can be sealed to form a closed, sealed lumen, reducing the need for extensive disinfection of the endoscope itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If reusable endoscopes are used, then device reusability is improved, but disinfection time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a disposable sheath that is discarded after single use, replacing the need for extensive disinfection of reusable endoscopes. The sheath acts as a disposable barrier that protects the reusable endoscope from contamination, eliminating the need for time-consuming disinfection processes while maintaining reusability of the endoscope itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath serves as an intermediary barrier between the endoscope and the patient's body. This intermediate protective layer prevents direct contact between contaminants and the endoscope channels, allowing the endoscope to be reused without extensive disinfection while maintaining sterility through the disposable sheath.
2Reliability
If extensive disinfection steps are followed, then contamination risk is reduced, but process complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable sheath provides a simple, single-use barrier that eliminates the need for complex multi-step disinfection processes. By discarding the sheath after use, all contamination is contained within the disposable component, simplifying the overall process while maintaining contamination prevention through the disposable nature of the sheath.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath extracts and contains the contamination away from the endoscope channels. By isolating potential contaminants within the disposable sheath structure, the endoscope remains clean and reusable without requiring extensive disinfection steps, thereby reducing process complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If traditional endoscope sheaths are used, then endoscope protection is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex wrapping and sealing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is segmented into distinct functional components: an elongate central portion for wrapping the endoscope, wrapping flaps for securing, and a distal end cap for sealing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall application process while maintaining reliable protection through the modular assembly of protective elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath is pre-configured with wrapping flaps and sealing structures that are ready for immediate application. The distal end cap and wrapping flaps are positioned and prepared in advance, allowing for rapid donning over the endoscope without requiring complex real-time manipulation, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining protection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable endoscope sheath removably sheathes an endoscope used for an endoscopic procedure. The endoscope sheath includes a sheath body having a proximal end portion that connects to an endoscope controller device for controlling an endoscope sheathed within the endoscope sheath, and a distal end portion that is inserted within a subject. The sheath body comprises an elongate central portion and first and second wrapping flaps extending from opposite sides of the elongate central portion to respective free longitudinal edge margins. The sheath body is configured to releasably sheath the endoscope by wrapping the first and second wrapping flaps around the endoscope and securing the free longitudinal edge margins at a seam. The sheath body also includes channels for administering treatment to the subject. A distal endcap attaches to the distal end portion of the sheath body, and operably interfaces with the channels for performing the procedure.