Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10993779-B2
Publication Date
2021-05-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument that is to undergo decontamination involves inserting a distal tip of the instrument into a distal tip protector. The distal tip of the instrument is inserted through a rupturable resilient seal into an internal cavity of the protector that contains a fluid. The distal tip protector thereby maintains a fluid around the distal tip of the instrument until the distal tip protector is removed to allow reprocessing of the instrument to take place, facilitating decontamination of the instrument.
Core Innovation
The invention is a method of pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument to undergo reprocessing, using a distal tip protector applied to a distal tip of the instrument. The distal tip protector comprises a rigid body that defines an interior space including an internal fluid holding cavity for receiving a fluid, with a seal to prevent passage of the fluid out of the cavity through an opening at the proximal end.
The method includes applying the distal tip protector to the distal tip so the seal is ruptured by inserting the distal tip through the seal and locating the distal tip within the internal fluid holding cavity. This exposes the distal tip to the fluid received in the internal fluid holding cavity, and the fluid is maintained around the distal tip while the distal tip is located within the internal fluid holding cavity, including a condition that the volume of fluid within the internal holding cavity remains constant so long as the distal tip is located within the internal fluid holding cavity.
After the maintaining step, the distal tip is removed by withdrawing the distal tip from the internal fluid holding cavity through the ruptured seal. Only thereafter is the instrument subjected to one or more reprocessing steps comprising one or more decontamination steps that include at least one of disinfection or sterilisation, including one or more automated reprocessing steps in the second independent claim.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims. Each independent claim is anchored on maintaining a fluid around a distal tip using a rigid distal tip protector with an internal fluid holding cavity and a seal whose rupture enables exposure of the distal tip while inhibiting leakage, followed by decontamination via disinfection or sterilisation.
Pre-treating with distal tip protector having rigid body and internal fluid holding cavity
Providing a distal tip protector for protection of a distal tip of the instrument, the distal tip protector comprising a body having walls made of a rigid material defining an interior space including an internal fluid holding cavity for receiving a fluid, the body having a distal end and a proximal end with an opening at the proximal end, and a seal to prevent passage of the fluid out of the internal fluid holding cavity through the opening.
Rupturing seal to expose distal tip to contained fluid
Applying the distal tip protector to the distal tip of the instrument, wherein the applying includes rupturing the seal by inserting the distal tip of the instrument through the seal to locate the distal tip of the instrument within the internal fluid holding cavity to expose the distal tip to the fluid, wherein the seal conforms to a contour of the distal tip to inhibit leakage of the fluid from the body of the distal tip protector.
Maintaining fluid around distal tip with constant cavity volume
Maintaining the fluid around the distal tip of the instrument while the distal tip is located within the internal fluid holding cavity, wherein a volume of fluid within the internal holding cavity remains constant so long as the distal tip is located within the internal fluid holding cavity.
Withdrawing through ruptured seal before decontamination by disinfection or sterilisation
Removing the distal tip of the instrument from the internal fluid holding cavity by withdrawing the distal tip through the ruptured seal, and subjecting the instrument to one or more reprocessing steps including one or more decontamination steps that include at least one of disinfection or sterilisation.
Only automated decontamination after pre-treatment fluid maintenance
Pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument by maintaining a fluid around a distal tip prior to any reprocessing as a pre-treatment for the decontamination, and only thereafter subjecting the instrument to one or more automated reprocessing steps comprising one or more decontamination steps that include at least one of disinfection or sterilisation.
Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on a distal tip protector with a rigid body, internal fluid holding cavity, and seal that inhibits leakage yet is rupturable to expose the distal tip to the contained fluid; the method maintains the fluid around the distal tip with a constant cavity volume condition, removes the tip through the ruptured seal, and then performs decontamination including at least one of disinfection or sterilisation, including automated reprocessing in the second independent claim.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument for subsequent reprocessing by maintaining a fluid around the instrument’s distal tip prior to decontamination steps including disinfection or sterilisation.
Automated reprocessing of the contaminated medical instrument, where the instrument is subjected only thereafter to one or more automated reprocessing steps comprising one or more decontamination steps including at least one of disinfection or sterilisation.
Interested in licensing this patent?