Surgical Retractor with Integrated Fluid Delivery for Infection Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical retractors and infection prevention methods fail to effectively reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs) due to difficulties in fluid management, incision size adjustment, and increased healthcare costs, while existing solutions either disrupt surgical progress or trap bacteria, leading to higher infection rates and operational challenges.

Innovation Solution

A surgical access system combining a retractor with a fluid delivery or evacuation device that includes expandable rings, permeable membranes, and absorbent materials to deliver or evacuate fluids, providing barrier protection and adjustable incision size without removing the device, thus optimizing fluid management and reducing infection risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If surgeons irrigate the incision or wound margins with fluids such as saline and/or antibiotics, then infection risk is reduced, but surgical progress is disrupted and operative time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection risk reductionVSAvoidsurgical progress

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical retractor is pre-configured with integrated fluid delivery channels and reservoirs that are prepared in advance to deliver irrigation fluids automatically during the procedure, eliminating the need for separate irrigation steps that disrupt surgical flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The fluid delivery system is merged with the retractor structure itself, combining two separate functions (retraction and fluid irrigation) into a single integrated device, allowing continuous surgical progress without removing or adjusting equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If degradable sponges are implanted in the incision to combat wound infections, then infection prevention is enhanced, but wound infection rates increase due to immune system reaction to foreign body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection preventionVSAvoidwound infection rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful foreign body material (degradable sponge) is removed from the system and replaced with a different approach: the retractor itself serves as the delivery mechanism for antimicrobial agents, eliminating the need for implanted foreign materials that trigger immune responses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The retractor acts as an intermediary device that delivers antimicrobial fluids directly to the wound site without requiring implantation of foreign materials, mediating between the surgeon's intent to prevent infection and the body's immune response

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If barrier wound protectors are used to prevent bacteria egress into the incision, then infection risk is reduced, but bacteria are trapped onto the wound surface allowing proliferation in the wound space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection risk reductionVSAvoidbacterial proliferation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attempting to block bacteria with a barrier that traps them against the wound, the system converts the potential harm of bacterial presence into benefit by actively delivering antimicrobial agents that neutralize bacteria, transforming the problem of bacterial contamination into an opportunity for targeted antimicrobial delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Ease of operation

If large incisions are made for colorectal surgery, then surgical access is improved, but ISSI risk increases due to larger exposure to infectious contents

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical accessVSAvoidinfection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The retractor and fluid delivery system are merged into a single device that simultaneously provides wide surgical exposure through retraction while delivering antimicrobial protection along the entire incision margin, allowing large incisions without proportional increase in infection risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

5Adaptability or versatility

If multiple devices are used to accommodate wide range of incision sizes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincision size accommodationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The retractor features dynamic, adjustable components including expandable rings and flexible membranes that can be configured to accommodate various incision sizes, replacing the need for multiple fixed-size devices with a single adaptable system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The retractor is designed as a universal device that can handle a wide range of incision sizes and surgical applications through its adjustable geometry and integrated fluid delivery system, eliminating the need for multiple specialized devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10327751B2Methods and apparatus for reducing the risk of surgical site infections

Publication Date: 2019.06.25 PRESCIENT SURGICAL INC

AI summary

A surgical access system that facilitates access to a surgical site through an incision in the patient's body includes a surgical retractor and a fluid delivery or fluid evacuation device. The fluid delivery or fluid evacuation device is coupled to the surgical retractor and is adapted to deliver fluid to the surgical site or evacuate fluid from the surgical site.