Scanner Bore Shield With Resilient Sheet for Infection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiology scanners used with infected patients become fomites, requiring time-consuming cleaning that reduces scanner availability and poses infection transmission risks, especially in emergency settings, and existing fabric-like drapes offer irregular protection and can interfere with procedures.
Innovation Solution
A self-supporting, semi-rigid shield made of a resilient plastic sheet with hydrophilic and antimicrobial coatings, equipped with a connector system for easy installation and secure fit within the scanner bore, providing comprehensive protection against contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If fabric-like surgical drapes are installed to cover the scanner bore surfaces, then protection against infectious agent transmission is improved, but installation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible plastic sheet material that can be easily draped over the curved scanner bore surfaces. This thin film approach replaces complex fabric-like surgical drapes while maintaining protective function and simplifying installation through the material's inherent flexibility and conformability to curved surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable plastic sheet barriers that can be quickly installed and removed after use. This disposable approach eliminates the need for complex securing mechanisms and cleaning procedures, allowing rapid replacement of contaminated barriers without time-consuming installation or deinstallation processes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If standard surgical drapes are used to cover the scanner bore, then some protection is provided, but the drapes may be distorted or torn by patient movement
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible plastic sheet material is designed to accommodate patient movement and bore curvature without tearing. The material's flexibility allows it to conform to dynamic conditions inside the scanner bore while maintaining continuous protective coverage, unlike rigid or poorly secured fabric drapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic sheet barrier is pre-positioned to cover the entire scanner bore surface before the patient enters. This preliminary placement ensures complete coverage and secure positioning before any patient movement occurs, preventing distortion or tearing during the scanning procedure.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If thorough cleaning of the scanner is performed after use with infected patients, then infectious agent transmission is reduced, but scanner availability and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable plastic sheet barriers are designed for single-use installation that provides complete protective coverage during scanning. After use, the barriers are simply removed and discarded, eliminating time-consuming cleaning procedures while ensuring complete protection against infectious agent transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic sheet barriers are pre-installed on the scanner bore before each patient scan. This preliminary protective action ensures that no cleaning is needed between patients, as each barrier is disposed of after a single use, thereby maximizing scanner availability and productivity.
4Ease of operation
If loose or poorly secured drapery is used to cover the scanner bore, then installation is simpler, but the drapery may interfere with interventional procedures and patient observation
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible plastic sheet material is designed to maintain a smooth, taut surface that does not interfere with interventional procedures or patient observation. The material's properties allow it to conform to the bore surfaces without creating loose folds or protrusions, providing both easy installation and clear procedural access.
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 shield simplifies and accelerates cleaning, reduces infection transmission, and minimizes interference with patient procedures, enhancing scanner availability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The shield may include an inner coating of hydrophilic polymer. It is thus a feature of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide a coating that aids in trapping and retaining moisture from a patient's breath that may carry infections.
Implementation Method 2
a sterile resilient sheet sized to fit loosely within the bore of a medical scanner in a first relaxed state and then to flex outward against an inner circumference of the bore in a second compressed state upon circumferentially directed compressive forces on the resilient sheet
Data Source
AI summary
A shield for the bore of radiology scanners provides a resilient sheet material that can be compressed against the inner surface of the bore by a circumference expander greatly simplifying installation.