Disposable Scale Platen With Visual Contamination Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
In pharmaceutical compounding, especially for chemotherapy drugs, there is a need for a scale with enhanced safety features and a minimal footprint within a laminar flow hood, as well as usability improvements to reduce user exposure to toxic components and ensure accurate drug concentration measurements.
Innovation Solution
A scale system with a disposable platen and image capture device, integrated barcode scanner, and visual indicators, including a coating layer that changes color upon cytotoxic material contact, to facilitate safe and accurate compounding processes within a laminar flow hood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a scale is placed within a flow hood for sterile compounding, then sterility and safety are improved, but the available space is reduced and footprint is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The scale is divided into two main segments: a base portion that remains outside the flow hood and a platen that extends into the flow hood. This segmentation allows the scale to function within the sterile environment while minimizing the footprint within the flow hood by keeping only the essential platen surface inside.
Solution Approach 2:
The platen is designed to nest within or extend from the base portion, allowing the scale to be compact when not in use and expand into the flow hood only when needed. This nesting approach reduces the overall footprint while maintaining sterility during compounding operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If protective gear is worn during chemotherapy drug preparation, then user safety is improved, but usability and ease of operation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The platen acts as an intermediary barrier between the user and the toxic chemotherapy drugs. By designing the platen with specific surface properties and configurations, it facilitates drug handling while minimizing direct contact between the user's protective gear and the toxic substances, thereby maintaining usability despite the presence of protective equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The scale system is designed to automatically perform functions such as weight measurement and documentation, reducing the need for users to manually handle drugs and equipment. This self-service approach minimizes user exposure to toxic components while maintaining ease of operation through automated processes.
3Reliability
If a disposable platen is used, then contamination risk is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The platen is designed as a disposable component that can be easily replaced after each use. This approach eliminates the need for complex cleaning and sterilization procedures, reducing contamination risk while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through the use of simple, replaceable parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable platen is discarded after a single use to prevent contamination, while the base portion and other reusable components are recovered and reused. This strategy reduces contamination risk without requiring the entire device to be disposable, thereby balancing reliability with device complexity.
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 system ensures enhanced safety and usability by minimizing user exposure to toxic materials, providing accurate weight measurements, and documenting the compounding process through visual and barcode documentation, ensuring compliance with sterility and safety protocols.
Implementation Method 1
a coating layer that changes color upon cytotoxic material contact
Data Source
AI summary
A system for preparing and administering a prescribed fluidic pharmaceutical compound, such as a chemotherapy compound, includes a scale having a platen. The scale is in communication with a user display for displaying an output of the scale. An image capture device having a field of view for capturing at least one image of an object placed on the platen is provided in communication with the user display for displaying the captured image. The platen may include a visual identifier for identifying a portion of the field of view of the image capture device. The platen may also include a tackifier or absorbent material. The platen may be formed of a light-transmissible material.