Surgical Instrument Passing Tray with Retractile Holder
Solution Overview
Problem
The handling of sharp surgical instruments during surgical procedures poses a significant risk of injury to medical staff due to inconsistent methods of passing and the potential for retractable scalpel blades not being fully retracted, leading to unsafe assumptions and increased risk of accidents.
Innovation Solution
A passing tray with a holder design that includes a sliding member, support members, and an actuator to securely retain surgical instruments transversely or longitudinally, using a resilient bias to maintain the instrument in place during transfer, allowing for safe handling by either hand without exposing the sharp end, and facilitating easy removal and return to the tray.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a retractable blade scalpel is used, then the safety of the scalpel during transfer is improved, but the blade may not be fully retracted due to rapid transfer and surgeon concentration, leading to potential injury
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a passing tray as an intermediary device between the ancillary staff and the surgeon for transferring scalpels. The tray includes a holder with a retractable blade mechanism that automatically retracts the blade when the scalpel is placed in the holder and during the transfer process. This intermediary device ensures the blade is retracted during transfer, eliminating the risk associated with manual transfer of scalpels with exposed blades.
Solution Approach 2:
The passing tray is prepared in advance with the holder ready to receive the scalpel. The retractable blade mechanism is pre-configured to automatically retract the blade when the scalpel is inserted into the holder, before the transfer to the surgeon begins. This preliminary action ensures the blade is retracted prior to any potential injury risk during transfer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different surgeons use different methods of passing scalpels, then each surgeon's preferred handling is accommodated, but the inconsistent methods increase confusion and risk of injury to ancillary staff
Solution Approach 1:
The passing tray is designed as a universal device that can accommodate different scalpel types and transfer preferences. The holder can securely hold the scalpel in various orientations, and the retractable blade mechanism works regardless of which end of the scalpel is presented. This universality allows different surgeons to use the same tray system while maintaining their preferred handling styles, while the standardized tray design ensures consistent safety for all ancillary staff.
3Ease of operation
If the scalpel is passed with the handle pointing in the surgeon's direction, then the surgeon can grasp it safely, but the ancillary staff may get cut from fumbling
Solution Approach 1:
The passing tray acts as an intermediary that eliminates the need for direct hand-to-hand transfer of the scalpel. The ancillary staff places the scalpel into the tray's holder, and the surgeon retrieves it from the tray. This intermediary approach allows the ancillary staff to handle only the blunt end of the scalpel or use tools to place it in the tray, while the retractable blade mechanism ensures the blade is retracted during this process, preventing cuts to ancillary staff.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the scalpel is passed with the handle pointing away from the surgeon, then the ancillary staff are protected from cutting, but the surgeon may get cut from fumbling
Solution Approach 1:
The passing tray with its holder design serves as an intermediary that allows the scalpel to be transferred in a safe orientation. The holder secures the scalpel with the blade retracted, and the surgeon can grasp the handle from the tray without risk of cutting. The tray mediates the transfer process, ensuring the blade remains retracted regardless of the orientation in which the scalpel is placed or retrieved.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tray design enhances safety by ensuring secure retention and orientation-independent handling of surgical instruments, reducing the risk of injury during transfer and use, and allowing for efficient and safe passage between medical staff without the need for critical blade orientation awareness.
Implementation Method 1
under force of the actuator for urging the support member toward the holder
Data Source
AI summary
A passing tray for surgical instruments includes a holder having a base portion, opposing side portions open at a first end and an end portion. A sliding member having front and rear edges is slidably supported within the holder. At least one support member projects upwardly from a surface of the sliding member toward its front edge, and an actuator projects upwardly from the surface of the sliding member intermediate the front and rear edges thereof and has front and rear surfaces facing toward the front and rear edges of the sliding member, respectively. In use an elongated surgical instrument may be retained transversely between opposing surfaces of the support member and the open first end of the holder under force of the actuator.