Distal tip protector for use in pre-treating medical instruments
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Publication Number
US-11684450-B2
Publication Date
2023-06-27
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 relates to a distal tip protector for use in pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument that is to undergo reprocessing. The distal tip protector includes an internal cavity for placing fluid in contact with a distal tip of a medical instrument inserted in the distal tip protector in use. The internal cavity is defined by walls made of a rigid material.
The distal tip protector is pre-filled with fluid to form a sealed chamber of fluid into which the distal tip of the instrument can be inserted. The fluid comprises a detergent or a decontaminating agent. A rupturable seal closes an end of the sealed chamber and the sealed chamber is adapted to receive the distal tip of the instrument inserted through the rupturable seal.
The distal tip protector includes an end cap formed as a unitary structure for retaining the rupturable seal in place, and the end cap has a central aperture. The disclosed arrangement enables the distal tip of the instrument to be inserted through the rupturable seal into the pre-filled sealed chamber while the rigid, fluid-retaining structure provides a protected distal-tip container for pre-treating prior to reprocessing.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim recites 4 inventive features covering a distal tip protector structure and its use in pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument for reprocessing. The claims include pre-filled detergent or decontaminating-agent fluid, a sealed rigid-walled chamber, a rupturable seal, and a unitary end cap with a central aperture.
Distal tip protector pre-filled with detergent or decontaminating-agent fluid
A distal tip protector for pre-treating a contaminated medical instrument to undergo reprocessing, wherein the distal tip protector is pre-filled with fluid to form a sealed chamber of fluid into which the distal tip of the instrument can be inserted, the fluid comprising a detergent or a decontaminating agent.
Sealed rigid-walled internal cavity for contacting the distal tip
The distal tip protector comprises an internal cavity for placing fluid in contact with a distal tip of a medical instrument inserted in the distal tip protector in use, wherein the sealed chamber is defined by walls made of a rigid material.
Rupturable seal adapted to receive the instrument distal tip through the seal
A rupturable seal for closing an end of the sealed chamber, the sealed chamber being adapted to receive the distal tip of the instrument inserted through the rupturable seal.
Unitary end cap with central aperture for retaining the rupturable seal
An end cap formed as a unitary structure for retaining the rupturable seal in place, said end cap having a central aperture.
Overall, the claims cover a distal tip protector that pre-forms a sealed, rigid-walled fluid chamber filled with a detergent or decontaminating agent and that allows insertion of the instrument’s distal tip through a rupturable seal retained by a unitary end cap having a central aperture. The dependent claims refine the rupturable seal structure or material and add additional device features such as guide means, cavity length constraints, leakage inhibition, and a requirement that the seal remains unruptured after pre-filling.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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