Nasal and Ear Foreign Body Extractor Balloon Inflation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for removing foreign objects from nasal and ear passages, such as those with eccentric balloons connected to catheters, are mechanically complex, costly, and can cause further damage due to their sealed and leak-proof construction, making them unsafe and expensive for use in home or physician care.
Innovation Solution
A one-handed, simple, and inexpensive nasal and ear foreign body extracting device featuring a bulb with a valve that inflates a balloon for object removal, where the bulb is made of semi-rigid flexible material, allowing for easy compression and inflation of the balloon to retrieve objects from nasal or ear cavities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If forceps are used to remove foreign objects from nasal and ear passages, then the object can be grasped and removed, but the sensitive tissues of the passageways may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a balloon inflated with air or fluid to gently expand and secure the foreign object within the nasal or ear passage. This pneumatic/hydraulic approach replaces the mechanical grasping action of forceps, allowing the object to be enveloped and removed without direct contact with forceful instruments, thereby preventing tissue damage while maintaining effective object removal.
2Reliability
If a sealed and leak-proof construction is used in the extractor device, then the balloon can be inflated to retrieve objects, but the device becomes mechanically complicated and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a simple, disposable bulb and catheter assembly where the bulb serves as a single-use inflation mechanism. The bulb is compressed to inflate the balloon, then discarded after one use. This eliminates the need for complex, reusable sealed systems with multiple components, reducing mechanical complexity and cost while maintaining reliable balloon inflation for the intended single application.
3Productivity
If a complex sealed circuit system is used to transfer air between balloons, then the extraction can be performed, but the device is costly and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex sealed circuit system connecting multiple balloons. Instead, a single balloon is used with a simple bulb inflation mechanism. This simplification removes unnecessary components and connections, making the device easier to manufacture while retaining the essential extraction capability through direct balloon expansion at the target site.
4Productivity
If forceps are used for object removal, then the procedure can be completed, but it becomes lengthy and traumatic for the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible balloon that can be gently inflated within the nasal or ear passage to envelop the foreign object. This flexible membrane approach is less traumatic than rigid forceps, allowing the object to be secured and removed with minimal patient discomfort. The procedure is completed efficiently as the inflated balloon provides secure grip without the need for repeated adjustments or traumatic manipulation.
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 provides a safe, effective, and cost-efficient method for removing foreign objects from nasal and ear passages with minimal risk of further injury, as it is easy to use and manufacture, and the balloon's inflation mechanism ensures gentle retrieval without the need for complex mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
when the bulb is compressed, air from within the bulb is pushed from the bulb, through the catheter, and into the balloon to inflate the balloon
Data Source
AI summary
Nasal and ear foreign body extracting device. The present disclosure includes disclosure of a device, comprising a bulb comprising a walled chamber portion having a nipple coupled thereto or formed as part thereof, a catheter configured to engage the nipple of the bulb at a first catheter end, and a balloon positioned at a second catheter end opposite the first catheter end, wherein when the bulb is compressed, air from within the bulb is pushed from the bulb, through the catheter, and into the balloon to inflate the balloon.