Specimen Retention Container With Flexible Membrane
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for securing and transporting excised tissue specimens often cause distortion and leakage, making accurate margin analysis and radiologic evaluation in multiple planes challenging, and expose handlers to potential blood-borne pathogens.
Innovation Solution
A closeable container with a concave depression and soft flexible retainers to maintain the specimen in a fixed, non-compressed orientation with minimal fluid leakage, allowing for radiographic imaging in multiple planes without specimen deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the specimen is compressed between two plates in a container, then the specimen is secured for transport, but the specimen becomes distorted making accurate margin analysis nearly impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible membrane that conformally contacts the specimen surface, providing secure containment during transport while maintaining the specimen's natural shape. The membrane's flexibility allows it to adapt to the specimen's contours without imposing rigid geometric constraints that would cause distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a concave curved bottom surface in the container body that cradles the specimen, and the flexible membrane conformally follows this curved geometry. This curved design supports the specimen's natural shape rather than forcing it into a flat or angular configuration, preventing distortion during transport.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the specimen is removed and reoriented for radiologic evaluation in multiple planes, then multiple plane imaging is possible, but the specimen is disturbed enough to render the images inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed to maintain specimen integrity while enabling multiple functions: it secures the specimen during transport, allows radiologic imaging in multiple planes without removal, and preserves the specimen's natural orientation for accurate margin analysis. The flexible membrane and cradling design work together to achieve these multiple objectives simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The container separates the functions of specimen containment and imaging support. The flexible membrane provides containment while the rigid container body with its concave bottom provides structural support and orientation stability, allowing the specimen to be imaged in multiple planes without disturbance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a rectangular container is used to allow for multiple plane radiologic analysis, then multiple plane imaging is enabled, but the specimen is reshaped into a rectangular space creating distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane conformally contacts the specimen surface and adapts to its natural shape rather than forcing it into a rectangular configuration. This flexible containment allows the specimen to maintain its original geometry while still being securely held in the container for radiologic analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The container's concave curved bottom surface provides a cradling support that matches the natural curvature of the specimen, preventing the geometric distortion that would result from forcing the specimen into a rectangular space. This curved design enables multiple plane imaging while preserving specimen shape accuracy.
4Reliability
If the container uses rigid walls to prevent fluid leakage, then leakage is minimized, but the specimen cannot be imaged in multiple planes without removal
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane creates a conformal seal around the specimen that effectively prevents fluid leakage while allowing the container to be positioned in multiple orientations for radiologic imaging. The membrane's flexibility enables it to maintain its sealing function regardless of the container's orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave curved bottom surface and corresponding membrane configuration create a stable cradling arrangement that maintains specimen position and prevents leakage while enabling the container to be rotated or repositioned for multi-plane imaging without disturbing the specimen.
Data Source
AI summary
A container and method of using the container to maintain an excised tissue specimen in a fixed orientation during transport and imaging is described. The container includes a body, a flexible, soft retainer capable of holding various sized specimens, an adjustable soft retainer that interacts with the body to retain the specimen against the soft retainer without significant compression or distortion, and a lid that snaps tightly to the body reducing bodily fluid leakage when the container is placed in a horizontal position, and preventing contamination of the specimen.