Manual Linked Piston Pumps for Body Cavity Irrigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for irrigating and evacuating body cavities, particularly in intubated patients, often require complex and expensive pump mechanisms, which can cause tissue damage and are difficult to operate under sterile conditions, and may not effectively manage secretions above the inflatable cuff of endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held, manually-operated pump mechanism that delivers a volume of fluid into the body cavity while simultaneously withdrawing an equal or larger volume, using linked piston pumps or syringes to enable efficient irrigation and suction with a linear relation between delivery and withdrawal flow rates, and includes a priming operation to prevent suction line collapse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automated pump mechanisms are used for irrigating and evacuating body cavities, then irrigation and suction functions are provided, but the devices become complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the irrigation pump and suction pump into a single integrated device with a unified housing and control system. The two pumps share common structural elements and are operated through a single user interface, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining both irrigation and suction functions simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The device is designed as a multi-functional system that can perform irrigation, suction, and simultaneous irrigation-suction operations. The pumps can be operated independently or together, and the device adapts to different operational modes (irrigation only, suction only, or combined) based on clinical needs, reducing the need for multiple separate devices
2Ease of operation
If automated pump mechanisms are used for irrigating and evacuating body cavities, then irrigation and suction functions are provided, but the devices are difficult to operate under sterile conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed with separable components including removable pump heads, detachable tubing, and modular sections that can be individually sterilized or replaced. This segmentation allows parts to be processed separately under sterile conditions and facilitates easier cleaning and sterilization compared to integrated automated systems
3Ease of operation
If complex automated pump mechanisms are used, then irrigation and suction functions are provided, but tissue damage may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates pressure sensors and flow monitors that provide real-time feedback on irrigation pressure and suction force. This feedback mechanism allows the system to automatically adjust parameters to remain within safe tissue tolerance levels, preventing damage while maintaining effective irrigation and suction functions
4Productivity
If double lumen tubes with irrigation pumps are used, then secretion clearance is improved, but the devices become complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs disposable pump components and single-use irrigation/suction elements that can be discarded after a single procedure. This approach eliminates the need for complex, expensive, reusable automated pump systems while maintaining effective secretion clearance capability for each use
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 device allows for rapid, easy, and effective irrigation and evacuation of body cavities with clear indication of secretions removed, reducing the risk of contamination and tissue damage, and is simpler to operate and less costly than automated systems, while maintaining the integrity of the cavity.
Implementation Method 1
A hand-held, manually-operated pump mechanism that delivers a volume of fluid into the body cavity while simultaneously withdrawing an equal or larger volume, using linked piston pumps or syringes
Data Source
AI summary
A device for irrigating a body cavity is disclosed. The device comprises a first pump and a second pump being operatively linked via a manually-operated actuator member. The actuator member has at least a mode in which the actuator member activates the first pump to eject an initial volume of fluid out of the device, and a mode in which the actuator member activates the second pump to eject fluid out of the device and simultaneously activates the first pump to withdraw fluid into the device.