Surgical Tray Planograms for Standardized Instrument Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

The inefficiencies and complications in the operating room environment, including miscommunication, lack of teamwork, and inconsistent surgical tray setups, lead to increased infection rates, prolonged recovery times, and high healthcare costs due to misplaced instruments and lack of standardized protocols.

Innovation Solution

A modular vertical rack system with adjustable shelves and a software platform for standardized instrument placement, ensuring each tray has a specified location, enhancing visibility, and reducing the risk of misplacement through a sterile identification barrier and planogram software system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional surgical trays are used without standardized protocols, then personnel have flexibility in instrument placement, but instruments become misplaced and organization is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in instrument placementVSAvoidinstrument organization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical tray is divided into multiple compartments and sections, each designated for specific instrument types. This segmentation allows instruments to be systematically organized while maintaining accessibility, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instruments are pre-arranged in their designated locations on the surgical tray before the procedure begins. This preliminary organization ensures that during surgery, instruments can be quickly accessed without disrupting the established order, maintaining both flexibility and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Area of stationary object

If surgical instruments are stored in crowded conditions with limited space, then floor space is saved, but sterile field violations occur and infection risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloor spaceVSAvoidinfection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system utilizes vertical space by implementing multi-tiered shelving units that extend upward from the floor. This dimensional transition allows extensive instrument storage without occupying additional floor space, while maintaining proper spacing and sterile field separation to prevent infections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Smaller storage compartments and instrument holders are nested within larger shelving structures. This nested arrangement maximizes storage capacity within the available vertical space while maintaining organized separation between instrument groups, preventing contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Area of stationary object

If instrument trays are stacked together during long procedures, then space is utilized efficiently, but bacteria growth risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage space utilizationVSAvoidbacteria growth

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Each storage location in the vertical shelving system is designed with specific local characteristics including proper ventilation, spacing, and material selection that resist bacterial growth. This localized quality control prevents bacteria proliferation while maintaining efficient space utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potential harm of close instrument proximity into benefit by using antimicrobial surface treatments and UV-C lighting integration in the shelving units. These features actively prevent bacterial growth while allowing dense, space-efficient storage arrangements.

Inventive Principle:

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

4Device complexity

If manual tracking of surgical instruments is used, then equipment complexity is minimized, but instruments are frequently lost or misplaced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking system complexityVSAvoidinstrument location accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The surgical tray system incorporates self-identifying features such as color-coded compartments, labeled sections, and RFID tags that automatically track instrument locations. These self-service mechanisms eliminate the need for complex manual tracking while ensuring accurate instrument location and preventing loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250331945A1Surgical tray efficiency system and related methods

Publication Date: 2025.10.30 FLEX OPERATING ROOM INC

AI summary

The subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for receiving user input that selects an arrangement of surgical instrument trays for use during a surgical procedure. A display device presents a graphical representation of the selected arrangement of surgical instrument trays. A computing system receives image data depicting multiple actual surgical instrument trays; and analyzes the image data to determine an extent to which the multiple actual surgical instrument trays and actual surgical instruments located on the trays match the selected arrangement of surgical instrument trays. The display device presents a graphical indication of the extent to which the multiple actual surgical instrument trays match the selected arrangement of surgical instrument trays.