Integrated Skin Disinfection and Drape Device for Surgical Sterility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cleaning and disinfecting patient extremities before surgery are inefficient, leading to dispersion of flammable antiseptic solutions, increased risk of fire hazards, and prolonged surgical preparation times, while also failing to adequately secure the sterile drape around the surgical site.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a vacuum pack envelope with a specially folded sterile surgical drape and a flexible container that allows for controlled antiseptic immersion and scrubbing, integrated with a method for simultaneous cleaning and draping, reducing antiseptic dispersion and enhancing sterility and deployment efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional painting and scrubbing methods are used to apply antiseptic, then the surgical site can be disinfected, but the antiseptic solution disperses over a wide area creating fire hazards and biohazardous contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the disinfection process by containing the antiseptic solution within a flexible bag that envelops the extremity. The solution is confined to specific compartments within the bag, preventing uncontrolled dispersion while maintaining effective contact with the skin surface through controlled immersion and scrubbing motions.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bag acts as an intermediary device between the antiseptic solution and the environment. It provides a contained interface that allows the solution to be applied effectively to the skin while preventing it from dispersing onto surrounding surfaces, thereby eliminating fire hazards and biohazardous contamination risks.
2Reliability
If careful and correct positioning of the drape is performed, then sterility is maintained, but the surgical preparation time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the drape and the flexible bag into a single integrated unit. The drape is attached to the flexible bag such that when the bag is positioned on the extremity, the drape automatically follows into correct position. This combination eliminates the need for separate draping steps while maintaining sterility, thereby reducing surgical preparation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The drape is pre-positioned and attached to the flexible bag before the procedure begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the flexible bag is applied to the extremity, the drape is already in the correct position to maintain sterility, eliminating the need for time-consuming adjustments during surgery.
3Reliability
If the drape is replaced or covered when improperly positioned, then sterility is maintained, but the surgical preparation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated design of the flexible bag and drape ensures correct positioning from the outset. The drape is pre-attached to the bag in the proper orientation, and the bag's flexibility allows it to conform to the extremity's shape, guiding the drape into correct position automatically. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for replacement or covering operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the drape system by making it flexible and integrally connected to the flexible bag. This allows the drape to adapt to the extremity's contours and maintain correct positioning through the flexibility and elasticity of the materials, rather than requiring rigid, precisely pre-positioned components that would need replacement if misaligned.
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided for enclosing an extremity of a patient for container efficient wound cleaning and for integrating draping prior to surgery. A loose-fitting flexible container with a flexible seal is provided for enclosing the extremity and treating the extremity in a controlled fashion to reduce or eliminate spillage and unwanted dispersion of antiseptic solution. Sealed to the flexible container is a vacuum packed, folded and rolled sterile surgical drape. The combination of a flexible container and a sterile pre-positioned surgical drape in a single device provides the advantage of controlled decontamination of the skin or wound while simultaneously providing the advantage of pre-positioning a surgical drape. The use of the device also provides the advantages of reduced operating room fires and biohazard dispersion risk and reduced cost by reduction of total operating room time per procedure.