Sterile Drape Assembly With Cable Guide for Surgical Field Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Maintaining sterility in surgical procedures is challenging due to the complex and crowded operating room environment where non-sterile auxiliary function equipment and transmission lines are used, posing risks of breaching the sterile field.
Innovation Solution
A sterile drape assembly with a cable guide and medical device holder that routes transmission lines and supports medical devices, maintaining sterility while allowing connection to non-sterile equipment outside the sterile field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If transmission lines connect medical devices in the sterile field to auxiliary equipment outside the sterile field, then medical devices can be supported and operated, but the risk of breaching the sterile field increases
Solution Approach 1:
A sterile adapter or sterile barrier is introduced as an intermediary component between the sterile medical device and the non-sterile transmission line/connection interface. This allows electrical and data connections to be maintained while preserving the sterile boundary, enabling signal transmission without direct contact between sterile and non-sterile components.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible sterile drape or barrier film is used to create a physical separation between the sterile surgical field and the non-sterile equipment area. This flexible barrier can accommodate the presence of transmission lines while maintaining sterility, allowing connections to be made through or alongside the barrier without compromising the sterile environment.
2Device complexity
If auxiliary function equipment is placed outside the sterile field, then equipment complexity is reduced and sterilization is simplified, but the operating room becomes crowded and sterile field maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary function equipment (power supplies, control units, signal generators) is extracted and positioned outside the sterile field, while only the essential sterile components (cables, connectors, interfaces) remain within or at the boundary of the sterile field. This extraction simplifies sterilization requirements for the majority of equipment while maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Sterile cables and connectors serve as intermediaries that bridge the sterile and non-sterile zones. These specialized components are designed to maintain sterility while transmitting signals and power, allowing auxiliary equipment to be positioned optimally outside the sterile field without compromising surgical access or sterile field integrity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple transmission lines are routed from the sterile field to auxiliary equipment, then medical devices can be connected and operated, but the organization and management of transmission lines becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission line system is segmented into distinct functional groups (power cables, data cables, signal cables) with dedicated routing paths and connection points. This segmentation allows each type of cable to be managed independently, reducing tangling and making troubleshooting easier while maintaining comprehensive device connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Transmission lines are organized using vertical and horizontal routing dimensions rather than simple linear arrangements. Cables are routed through designated channels, clips, and conduits that utilize three-dimensional space, preventing tangling and improving accessibility while maintaining flexible device connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system comprises an arm; a medical device holder coupled or mountable to the arm; a drape configured to cover the medical device holder and at least a portion of the arm in a coupled or mounted state of the medical device holder to the arm; and a cable guide. The cable guide comprises a base portion coupled or configured to be coupled to a complementary receptacle of the arm; and two opposing guidepost arms extending from the base portion and defining an opening configured to receive and route a transmission line. In a coupled state of the base portion to the receptacle, the guidepost arms are positioned on a first side of the drape and the arm is positioned on a second side of the drape, the first side being opposite from the second side.