Sealed Lumen Introducer with Contamination Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical devices, particularly those used in minimally invasive procedures, face challenges such as limited optical capabilities, difficulty in maneuvering within small body spaces, and the risk of biological contamination transmission due to complex designs and reusability, which hinder precise procedures and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A medical device introduction system comprising a medical introducer with independent control of imaging and working channel devices, featuring a modular design with translucent components for improved visualization and a marker system for detecting biological contamination, allowing for precise positioning and reduced risk of infection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional endoscopes are made reusable to reduce costs, then purchase cost is reduced, but sterilization difficulty and risk of biological contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the medical procedure equipment into separate functional components: a reusable introducer device and disposable endoscopes/catheters. This segmentation allows the complex optical and working channels to be contained within sterile, single-use components that are discarded after one use, eliminating sterilization requirements while keeping the introduction device simple and reusable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable endoscopes and catheters that are used once and then discarded. These single-use components are pre-sterilized and packaged, eliminating the need for complex sterilization processes. The low cost of these disposable items compared to the expense of sterilizing complex reusable equipment makes this economically viable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple medical devices are used in minimally invasive procedures to perform various functions, then procedural capability is improved, but difficulty in positioning and controlling devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple medical devices (endoscope, catheter, irrigation tube) into a single integrated introducer assembly. This merging allows all components to be positioned and controlled together through a single introduction pathway, significantly reducing the complexity of managing multiple separate devices while maintaining full procedural capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The introducer device is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate various different endoscopes and catheters for different procedural needs. The single introducer can perform multiple functions by accepting different disposable components, providing versatility without requiring multiple specialized introduction devices.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional endoscopes are maneuvered through anatomical structures to reach target sites, then access to interior body regions is achieved, but loss of orientation and limited optical capabilities occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reference marker system that acts as an intermediary between the anatomical structures and the imaging system. These markers provide fixed reference points that help maintain spatial orientation and contextual information as the endoscope moves through the body, compensating for the loss of orientation that occurs during maneuvering through complex anatomical pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making an introducer includes providing a translucent material that is formed into an elongate introducer, wherein the introducer has a lumen on an end thereof, and sealing the lumen with a sealing mechanism, wherein the seal is one of a duckbill seal or a one-way valve.