Spring-Loaded Tracheotomy Penetrator for Emergency Airway Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Emergency tracheotomies require medical knowledge and are challenging to perform safely and quickly by non-medical personnel due to the need for precise incision in the trachea, often resulting in delayed intervention that can be fatal.
Innovation Solution
A tracheotomy device with a housing and a spring-loaded hollow penetrator that can be easily positioned in the suprasternal notch, actuated by a one-handed mechanism to penetrate the tracheal wall without requiring significant force or training, including features for depth control and sterility assurance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a scalpel, trocar or other cutting instrument is required to make an incision in the trachea, then the tracheotomy can be performed, but the procedure becomes difficult and requires specific medical knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs the cutting action automatically through a spring-loaded mechanism that propels the penetrator through the tracheal wall without requiring the user to manually apply force or skillfully manipulate a blade, making the procedure self-executing and eliminating the need for medical training
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical control of a scalpel or trocar by a trained operator is replaced with an automated spring-loaded penetrator system that requires only simple positioning and activation, substituting complex manual dexterity with a predetermined mechanical action
2Reliability
If trained emergency services personnel are sent to perform a tracheotomy, then the procedure can be performed safely, but the time for trained personnel to arrive exceeds the survival time
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed as a single-use disposable unit that can be quickly deployed by any person without training, eliminating the time delay associated with waiting for trained personnel while ensuring safety through engineered constraints that prevent misuse
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded penetrator acts as an intermediary between the user's simple activation action and the complex surgical task of tracheotomy, mediating the transformation of a simple push-button or lever action into a precise, controlled incision through the tracheal wall
3Adaptability or versatility
If the penetrator can be reset back to the retracted position, then the device can be reused, but the possibility of infecting future subjects with pathogens increases
Solution Approach 1:
The entire device is designed as a single-use disposable unit that is discarded after one use, eliminating any possibility of pathogen transmission to subsequent patients while keeping the device simple and inexpensive enough to justify single-use disposal
Solution Approach 2:
The penetrator is extracted from the housing in a controlled manner after use, and the entire assembly is designed to be discarded, separating the used device from any potential reuse scenario and eliminating contamination risk
4Reliability
If the penetrator extends a long distance to ensure penetration of the tracheal wall, then the penetration effectiveness is improved, but the risk of penetrating the posterior side of the tracheal wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
The penetrator is designed with varying properties along its length, with the distal end being sharp for penetration and the proximal end being blunted or constrained, creating local quality differences that enable effective anterior wall penetration while preventing dangerous posterior wall penetration through structural variation
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
Enables non-medical personnel to perform a tracheotomy safely and effectively, reducing the risk of complications and ensuring sterility, thereby increasing the chances of survival in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
the penetrator is resiliently moveable by a spring from a retracted restrained position to an extended operational position with sufficient force to penetrate a tracheal wall
Data Source
AI summary
A tracheotomy device has a housing configured to guide the device to an appropriate location in a suprasternal notch of a subject and a hollow penetrator associated with the housing. The penetrator resiliently moves from a retracted restrained position to an extended operational position with sufficient force to penetrate a tracheal wall, where the operational position extends a pre-determined distance from the housing. The pre-determined distance is correlated to a distance required to penetrate an anterior side of the tracheal wall without penetrating a posterior side of the tracheal wall. An actuator associated with the housing and the penetrator for releasing the penetrator is configured for use in one hand. The device is simple and disposable and may be used by unskilled caregivers to successfully and safely perform a tracheotomy on a subject with a blocked airway.