Neutral Field Tray Layout for Shielded Surgical Instrument Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical instruments pose a risk of injury during handling and transfer in operating rooms due to their sharp distal ends, and existing solutions do not adequately protect medical professionals and assistants from accidental contact.
Innovation Solution
A neutral field tray (NFT) is designed to attach to a mayo stand, featuring a sloped base and protective cover that orients surgical instruments with the handle accessible and the sharp end protected, allowing for safe handling and transfer by positioning the instrument in a way that the sharp is directed downward and contained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If surgical instruments are placed on a traditional mayo stand tray, then instruments are easily accessible to surgeons and assistants, but the sharp distal ends of instruments pose a risk of injury to medical professionals during handling and transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protective cover as an intermediary element between the sharp instrument and medical professionals. The cover engages with the instrument's flange and extends beyond it to physically shield the sharp distal end during handling and transfer operations, allowing the instrument to remain accessible while eliminating the injury risk
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is designed as a separate component that can be attached to and removed from the surgical instrument. This segmentation allows the cover to be applied only when the instrument is being handled or transferred, while maintaining full accessibility to the instrument handle during surgical use
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective cover is added to shield the sharp instrument end, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is designed to be universally compatible with multiple surgical instrument types through a standardized engagement mechanism that interfaces with the instrument flange. This multi-functionality allows a single cover design to protect various instruments without increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover provides protection only in the specific location where the sharp distal end is exposed during handling. The cover's geometry is optimized to extend just beyond the flange where needed for safety, rather than enclosing the entire instrument, thus minimizing added complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A neutral field tray includes an attachment portion for removably attaching the tray to a mayo stand, a base coupled to the attachment portion, two sidewalls extending upward from opposite sides of the base, a distal endwall extending upward from a distal end of the base, a cover extending between the sidewalls above the base adjacent the distal endwall, and support for positioning a single instrument above the base with a distal end of the instrument underneath the cover and a proximal end of the instrument elevated relative to the distal end of the instrument. A method is also provided for using the neutral field tray.