Sterile Drape for X-Ray Device Enclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of maintaining a sterile field during medical procedures using hand-held or self-supported X-ray equipment, as conventional sterile barriers do not effectively seal around these devices, potentially allowing contamination from the equipment's opening.
Innovation Solution
A sterile drape designed with a closed end portion, a middle portion to enclose the medical device, and an open end that can be closed to create a sterile barrier around the entire device, using flexible materials like polyethylene or breathable fabrics to ensure sterility and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sterile drape is used to enclose the X-ray device, then sterility is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile drape is divided into three functional segments: a closed end portion for sealing, a middle portion for enclosing the device, and an open end portion for insertion. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterile drape utilizes flexible material that can conform to the contours of the X-ray device, creating an effective barrier without rigid structures. The flexibility allows the drape to envelop the device completely while maintaining sterility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the sterile drape fully encloses the device, then contamination is prevented, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The closed end portion of the drape is prepared and positioned first, creating a sealed barrier before the device is fully inserted. This preliminary sealing action ensures sterility is established before the device enters the sterile field.
Solution Approach 2:
The drape transitions from an open state during insertion to a fully enclosed state during operation. The open end portion allows for dynamic insertion and removal of the device while the closed and middle portions maintain the sterile barrier throughout the procedure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the drape material is made flexible for easy application, then ease of manufacture increases, but the reliability of the sterile barrier may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile drape is constructed from composite materials that combine flexibility for easy application with properties that maintain sterile barrier integrity. The material selection balances manufacturability with reliable contamination prevention.
Data Source
AI summary
Sterile barriers or sterile drapes that can be used with medical devices, including hand-held or self-supported X-ray equipment, are described in this application. In particular, this application describes sterile drapes that can be used with a medical device, the drape comprising a closed end portion, a middle portion with a size sufficient to enclose a part of the medical device being used near a patient, and an open end portion, the end portion configured to be closed by a user once the middle portion encloses the part of the medical device being used near a patient, wherein the sterile drape creates a sterile barrier around substantially the entire medical device once the open end is closed. Using the sterile drape allows the medical device, such as a hand-held or self-supported X-ray device, to be used in a medical procedure that requires a sterile field near the patient without disrupting that sterile field. Other embodiments are described.