Surgical Scope Removable Lumen for Cross-Contamination Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reusable endoscopes face high risks of cross-contamination due to biofilm formation during improper sterilization, leading to potential infections in subsequent patients and healthcare practitioners, as current cleaning techniques are inadequate in removing all biofilm and some microbes are resistant to detergents.
Innovation Solution
A disposable insert for endoscopes, comprising a flexible shaft and a cap that forms a fluid-tight seal with the endoscope, allowing for single-use operation to prevent biofilm growth and reduce contamination risks, while the endoscope itself can be reused after limited exposure to biomaterials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If reusable endoscopes are used to reduce costs, then cost effectiveness is improved, but cross-contamination risk increases due to biofilm formation during improper sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The endoscope system is divided into two segments: a reusable endoscope body and a disposable insert containing the lumen. The disposable insert is discarded after a single use, eliminating cross-contamination risk while allowing the expensive endoscope body to be reused. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the reusable component from the single-use component that contacts biomaterials.
Solution Approach 2:
A disposable insert is introduced as a low-cost, single-use component that replaces the need for repeated sterilization of the entire endoscope. The insert contains a lumen that contacts biomaterials during the procedure and is discarded afterward, preventing biofilm formation and cross-contamination while maintaining cost effectiveness through selective reuse of the expensive endoscope body.
2Ease of operation
If current cleaning techniques are used on reusable endoscopes, then sterilization process is simplified, but biofilm removal effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lumen that contacts biomaterials is extracted from the reusable endoscope body and placed into a separate disposable insert. This extraction eliminates the need for complex sterilization processes to remove biofilm from the endoscope's internal channels, as the insert is discarded after single use. The reusable endoscope body requires only limited exposure to biomaterials, simplifying the sterilization process while ensuring complete biofilm removal through disposal.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If disposable inserts are used to prevent cross-contamination, then infection risk is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable insert is designed to be inserted into and nested within the reusable endoscope body. The insert fits within the endoscope's existing structure, utilizing the endoscope's lumen and outer shaft. This nesting approach minimizes additional complexity by integrating the disposable component into the existing device architecture rather than requiring a completely separate system.
Solution Approach 2:
The reusable endoscope body is designed to accommodate a disposable insert while maintaining its own functionality for procedures that may not require the insert. The endoscope body serves multiple functions: it can operate with or without the insert, providing mechanical support, imaging, and other endoscopic functions. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by making the endoscope body versatile.
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 disposable insert effectively minimizes cross-contamination by ensuring biohazardous materials are contained within the insert, which is discarded after use, allowing for more effective sterilization of the endoscope and reducing infection risks.
Implementation Method 1
The cap is configured to form a fluid-tight seal between the disposable insert and the endoscope
Data Source
AI summary
A disposable insert for an endoscope. The disposable insert includes a flexible shaft and a cap. The flexible shaft has a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending therebetween and is configured to be inserted into a lumen of an endoscope. The cap is operably coupled to the distal end of the flexible shaft and is configured to form a fluid-tight seal and secure the flexible shaft to a distal end of the endoscope. The cap also has a lumen extending therethrough that is coaxial to the lumen of the flexible shaft.