Reusable Hub Assembly for Arthroscopic Instruments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional arthroscopic surgical instruments face challenges in reusability and cost due to permanently affixed blades and tubes, leading to disposal and sterilization issues, which increase costs and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A reusable and sterilizable hub assembly combined with a disposable blade assembly that is releasably connectable, allowing for the separation of reusable hub components from disposable blades, reducing waste and simplifying sterilization processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blades and tubes are permanently affixed to hub assembly, then structural integrity and reliability are improved, but reusability and cost-effectiveness deteriorate due to disposal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is divided into separable components: a reusable hub assembly and disposable blade assemblies. The hub assembly includes an outer hub and inner hub that can be reused, while the blade assemblies are disposable. This segmentation allows the reliable hub to be separated from the disposable blades, resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and reusability.
Solution Approach 2:
The blade assembly is extracted as a separate disposable component from the reusable hub assembly. The blade assembly includes an outer tube with cutting edge and an inner tube, which can be removed and replaced without disposing of the hub. This extraction enables the hub to be reused while the blades are discarded after use.
2Ease of manufacture
If entire hub assembly is disposed, then sterilization complexity is reduced, but cost and environmental impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument is segmented into reusable and disposable portions. The hub assembly is designed to be reusable and sterilizable, while the blade assemblies are disposable. This segmentation eliminates the need to sterilize the entire assembly, reducing sterilization complexity for the hub while minimizing waste by only discarding the blade portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The disposable blade assemblies are discarded after use, while the reusable hub assembly is recovered and sterilized for subsequent use. This approach recovers the valuable hub components, reducing waste material while maintaining sterilization simplicity through selective disposal of only the blade portions.
3Reliability
If blades are permanently fixed to hubs, then assembly reliability is improved, but adaptability for different surgical procedures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the hub assembly and blade assemblies is made dynamic rather than fixed. The hub assembly can selectively receive and release different blade assemblies through engagement and disengagement mechanisms. This dynamic connection allows the system to adapt to different surgical procedures by changing blades while maintaining reliable connection during each specific procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub assembly is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple different blade assemblies for various surgical procedures. The standardized engagement interface allows a single hub to perform multiple functions by accepting different specialized blades, improving procedure adaptability while maintaining assembly reliability through consistent engagement mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument including a reusable and sterilizable hub assembly and a releasably connectable disposable blade assembly allows multiple reuse of the hub assembly in conjunction with single use disposable blade assemblies.