Modular Medical Devices With Reusable Handles and Disposable Portions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices face challenges in balancing the risk of cross-contamination between patients due to reuse after sterilization and the high cost of single-use disposable devices.
Innovation Solution
A modular medical device design featuring a reusable handle and disposable portion, where the disposable portion is used during procedures and discarded, minimizing contamination risk while allowing the reusable handle to be reused safely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If reusable medical devices are sterilized and reprocessed for multiple uses, then costs are reduced, but the risk of cross-contamination between patients increases
Solution Approach 1:
The medical device is divided into two distinct segments: a reusable handle that can be sterilized and reused, and a disposable portion that is discarded after a single use. This segmentation allows the critical patient-contact components to be disposable while the expensive handle can be reused, thereby reducing cross-contamination risk while maintaining cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable portion of the device is designed as a single-use component that is discarded after one procedure. This eliminates the need for extensive sterilization processes and ensures no cross-contamination between patients, while the reusable handle can be safely sterilized and reused multiple times.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If disposable medical devices are used instead of reusable devices, then cross-contamination risk is minimized, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into disposable and reusable portions, allowing only the necessary patient-contact components to be disposable while the handle can be reused after sterilization. This reduces overall costs compared to completely disposable devices while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the device have different quality requirements: the disposable portion uses single-use materials for safety, while the handle uses durable, sterilizable materials for cost efficiency. This local differentiation of quality allows optimization of both safety and cost.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If extensive sterilization and reprocessing procedures are performed on reusable devices, then cross-contamination risk is reduced, but the complexity and time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable portion eliminates the need for complex sterilization procedures entirely, as it is discarded after single use. This simplifies the overall process while ensuring patient safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable portion is extracted as a separate component that can be discarded without requiring sterilization of the entire device. This removes the need for extensive reprocessing procedures while maintaining safety standards.
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
This approach reduces the risk of cross-contamination and lowers overall costs by enabling safe reuse of the reusable handle while ensuring effective disposal of the disposable portion.
Implementation Method 1
the first connector is configured to deform the second connector in response to the first body disengaging the second body
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device that includes a first body including a first actuation wire having a first connector that extends outwardly from the first body, and a second body including a second actuation wire having a second connector that is disposed within the second body. The first connector is configured to engage the second connector in response to the second body mating with the first body, and to deform the second connector in response to the first body disengaging the second body.