Endoscopic Vacuum Tube and Sponge Assembly for Standardized EVT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) systems for treating luminal injuries lack standardization and are often improvised, using makeshift devices like suturing a sponge onto a hollow tubed device, which can vary by application and clinician, leading to inefficiencies and inconsistencies in treatment.
Innovation Solution
A standardized endoscopic vacuum therapy system comprising a vacuum tube with a fluid collection element, such as a foam sponge or inflatable device, connected to a negative and/or positive pressure source, with features like a dissolvable casing for compression and an attachment system for secure coupling, enabling precise application and effective wound healing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If makeshift devices like suturing a sponge onto a hollow tubed device are used, then EVT treatment can be performed, but the devices lack standardization and vary by application and clinician
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sponge and tube into a single integrated EVT device where the sponge is securely attached to the distal end of the tube through adhesive bonding and mechanical retention features. This merging eliminates the need for separate suturing steps and ensures consistent assembly across all devices, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision by making the device both simple to produce and highly standardized.
Solution Approach 2:
The sponge is pre-attached to the tube during manufacturing with precise positioning and secure bonding before the device reaches the clinician. This preliminary action ensures that the device arrives ready-to-use with consistent, standardized construction, eliminating variability in assembly while maintaining ease of deployment in the clinical setting.
2Length of moving object
If a fluid collection element is compressed for insertion, then the device can be inserted through narrow passages, but the compression mechanism adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid collection element is constructed with flexible, compressible materials that can be collapsed into a compact profile for insertion through narrow passages. The flexible structure naturally compresses and expands without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms, resolving the contradiction by achieving a small insertion profile while maintaining device simplicity through material properties rather than mechanical complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If a standardized EVT system is implemented, then treatment consistency improves, but adaptability to different applications may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The EVT device is designed with universal features including adjustable vacuum pressure settings, interchangeable sponge sizes, and configurable tube lengths that can accommodate different luminal injuries and anatomical locations. This universality allows a single standardized device design to serve multiple applications effectively, resolving the contradiction by maintaining standardization while preserving adaptability through configurable parameters and modular components.
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 provides consistent and efficient vacuum suction for wound healing, allowing for even distribution of suction across the wound surface, facilitating the removal of fluids and debris, and supporting wound closure with adjustable pressure settings.
Implementation Method 1
a negative pressure source; a tube comprising a plurality of openings at a distal end, the tube being fluidly coupled to the negative pressure source at a proximal end
Implementation Method 2
the fluid collection element is compressed via a segmented dissolvable casing
Implementation Method 3
a segmented dissolvable casing
Implementation Method 4
the fluid collection element is directly coupled to the tube via an adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for an endoscopic vacuum therapy system are herein provided. In one example, an endoscopic vacuum therapy system a negative pressure source; a tube comprising a plurality of openings at a distal end, the tube being fluidly coupled to the negative pressure source at a proximal end; and a fluid collection element coupled to the tube, wherein the fluid collection element is compressed via a segmented dissolvable casing.