Sterile Multi-Tool Terminus for Surgical Instrument Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical setups in operating rooms face challenges with sterility due to tangling and contamination risks from numerous non-sterile wires and tubes, which complicate instrument handling and increase the risk of surgical site infections.
Innovation Solution
A pre-sterilized multi-function tool terminus that encases and organizes wires and tubes, allowing for easy routing and separation of instruments, reducing tangling and contamination risks by using internalized connectors and retractable mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If numerous non-sterile wires and tubes are used to connect surgical instruments, then instrument functionality is improved, but contamination risk and tangling increase
Solution Approach 1:
A sterile terminus acts as an intermediary component between the non-sterile power sources and the sterile surgical field. The terminus includes sterile connectors that interface with instrument shafts while maintaining the sterile boundary, allowing multiple instruments to be connected without compromising sterility. This mediator enables instrument functionality while preventing contamination of the sterile field.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the connection pathway into distinct segments: non-sterile power sources, sterile terminus with connectors, and sterile instrument shafts. This segmentation allows the terminus to serve as a sterile barrier while accommodating multiple instrument connections, thereby reducing contamination risk while maintaining instrument functionality.
2Ease of operation
If numerous non-sterile wires and tubes are routed through the sterile field, then instrument connectivity is improved, but sterility is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile terminus serves as a mediator that accepts non-sterile connections and provides sterile outputs to the surgical field. The terminus includes internal sterile connectors that maintain the sterile barrier while enabling instrument connectivity, thus improving ease of operation without compromising sterility reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminus incorporates a sterile sheath or covering that acts as a flexible barrier, allowing wires and tubes to pass through while maintaining sterility. This flexible enclosure protects the sterile field from contamination while enabling smooth instrument connectivity and movement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate wires and tubes are used for different instruments, then instrument functionality is improved, but setup complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate wires and tubes are merged into a single integrated terminus assembly that accommodates multiple instrument connectors. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components to be set up and connected, thereby reducing setup time while maintaining the functionality of multiple instruments through the unified sterile terminus structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterile terminus is designed as a universal interface that can connect to multiple different instrument types simultaneously. The terminus includes multiple connectors and interfaces that can accommodate various instrument shafts, allowing a single device to serve multiple functions and reducing the need for separate setup procedures for each instrument.
4Ease of operation
If wires and tubes are routed over or through drapes, then instrument connectivity is achieved, but risk of slipping into sterile region increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile terminus acts as a stable intermediary anchor point for instrument connections, eliminating the need for wires and tubes to be routed over or through drapes. The terminus provides secure, fixed connections within the sterile field, preventing wires and tubes from slipping or moving into contaminated regions while maintaining instrument connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminus is pre-assembled and pre-sterilized as a complete unit before use. This preliminary preparation ensures that all connection points and routing paths are already in place and sterile, eliminating the need for post-assembly routing that could compromise sterility. The pre-assembled structure prevents wires and tubes from slipping into non-sterile regions.
Data Source
AI summary
An improved tool terminus for use in an operating room avoids the usual tangle of wires and tubes that can represent a significant hazard. The terminus in the sterile region of the operating room acts as a holder to keep the various operating instrument organized. The terminus is equipped with reels that allow the surgeon to have the optimum length of instrument lead and to retract that lead at will.