DE102018129213A1 - Containers for reprocessing medical instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a container (1) for reprocessing medical instruments, in which the cleaning performance is improved compared to the prior art and where possible all the surface areas of a medical instrument arranged in the container (1) can be reached by a cleaning and / or disinfecting solution can. The container (1) according to the invention has a wall (2) which is hollow on the inside and through which a fluid can flow and has openings (3) pointing towards the inside of the container (1), the interior of the hollow wall (2) having at least one Connection (5) is in fluid communication, via which the fluid can be introduced into the wall (2).

Description

The invention relates to a container for reprocessing medical instruments.

Medical instruments are reprocessed after use, including cleaning and disinfection of the instruments. For this purpose, the instruments are regularly placed in containers, so-called instrument baskets, with a sieve-like wall and treated thoroughly with a cleaning or disinfecting solution. Such an instrument basket is from, for example US 2012/0085720 A1 or US 7871582 B2 known.

The known instrument baskets can lead to unsatisfactory cleaning results because not all points on the instruments can be reached equally by the cleaning or disinfecting solution.

The object of the present invention is to provide a container for reprocessing medical instruments, in which the cleaning performance is improved compared to the prior art and where possible all surface areas of a medical instrument arranged in the container can be reached by a cleaning and / or disinfecting solution can.

To achieve the object, the present invention provides a container for reprocessing medical instruments with a wall which is hollow on the inside and through which a fluid can flow and which has openings facing the inside of the container, the interior of the hollow wall being in fluid communication with at least one connection , via which the fluid can be introduced into the wall.

In the case of the container according to the invention, the cleaning and / or disinfection gaps present in the prior art, which arise because the cleaning and / or disinfection solution is shielded from the wall of the instrument basket, are avoided by rinsing the wall of the instrument basket itself and cleaning the and / or disinfectant solution is passed through openings in the wall into the interior of the container.

The term “reprocessing” here refers to the cleaning and / or disinfection of medical devices, in particular medical instruments.

The term “fluid” here preferably refers to a preferably liquid aqueous composition, solution, suspension or the like, particularly preferably to an aqueous cleaning and / or disinfecting solution.

The term “medical instrument” refers to instruments that are specifically intended for medical purposes, in particular for diagnostic and surgical purposes. For example, they can be blunt, cutting, puncturing, tissue-holding or tissue-combining instruments. The term also includes instruments used for imaging, in particular those that are brought into direct contact with a body. Examples include forceps, clamps, hooks, needle holders, scalpels, spoons, scissors, nasal specula, endoscopes, camera heads and the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the wall of the container according to the invention is perforated in a sieve-like manner. In this embodiment, the wall not only has openings in the inner wall which face the interior of the container and through which the fluid, e.g. a cleaning and / or disinfection line can be passed into the container, but additionally has openings, the soffits of the openings being closed, however, so that the fluid at the openings does not escape from the interior of the hollow wall. The sieve or grid-like wall created by the openings is advantageous in order to enable the supply and discharge of a cleaning and / or disinfection line from the outside, for example in a dishwasher.

In a further embodiment, the wall of the container can have, for example, a grid made of internally hollow wires through which the fluid, for example a cleaning and / or disinfection line, or can consist of a grid made of internally hollow wires through which the fluid can flow, the inside of the Container-facing openings of the wall, through which the fluid can be directed into the container, are arranged in the wall of the hollow wires. The wires are in fluid communication with at least one connection via which the fluid can be introduced into the wires. It is advantageous if the wires have a common connection through which the fluid flows into the wall of the container, i.e. the hollow wires that can be introduced.

The term “grid of wires” refers to an arrangement of wires running essentially parallel and / or crossed to one another, which can also be intertwined, connected or integrally formed with one another. The term “wire” here refers to a comparatively thin, elongated element, for example made of metal or plastic, which has a circular, oval, can have a square, rectangular or polygonal cross section.

The openings in the wall of the container facing the interior of the container can have the same, but also different geometries and dimensions. In a preferred embodiment, the wall has openings which differ from one another in their geometry and / or their size. This enables a more targeted distribution and also metering of the fluid in order to achieve an improved cleaning performance. For example, the exit velocity of the fluid can be individually influenced via the size of the openings. Thus, container areas with comparatively small openings can be provided, from which the fluid emerges at a relatively high speed, for example in order to clean more contaminated or robust instruments or instrument parts, and container areas with larger openings for example for cleaning more sensitive instruments or instrument parts. Depending on the intended use, the openings can be dimensioned and configured differently, for example round, oval, longitudinally oval, polygonal or slit-shaped.

Particularly in the above-described configurations of the container according to the invention with differently configured openings, it can be advantageous if the wall has at least two groups of openings which differ from one another in their geometry and / or their size, the at least two groups of openings being fluid from one another are separated and each have their own connection in fluid communication, via which the fluid can be introduced separately to the at least two groups of openings. In these embodiments it is possible, for example, to apply fluid to the at least two groups of openings separately, depending on the intended use. This can be done either simultaneously or separately. For example, for cleaning a first type of instruments, it may be advantageous if only a container area with a first group of, for example, relatively small openings is subjected to fluid, while it may be advantageous for cleaning a second type of instruments, only one container area with a second one To apply fluid to a group of, for example, relatively large or differently configured openings.

The term “fluidically separated” here means that a first group of openings can be acted upon with fluid separately from a second group of openings. A fluidic separation can be realized, for example, in embodiments of a container according to the invention with internally hollow wires through which the container has a first braid of wires that are fluidically connected to one another and a second braid of wires that are fluidly connected to one another.

The wall of the container can be made of metal or plastic. Metal, for example stainless steel, is preferred. However, there are also other materials that are as inert and heat-resistant as possible, for example steam-sterilizable. Mixtures of materials are of course also possible.

The container is preferably open on one side. The shape of the container depends on the intended use and is not subject to any restrictions.

• 1 Vereinfachte räumliche Ansicht einer Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Behälters.
• 2 Teil der Innenseite einer weiteren Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Behälters.
• 3 Schematische Darstellung eines hohlen Drahtes als Teil einer Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Behälters gemäß 2.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings purely for the purpose of illustration.

• 1 Simplified spatial view of an embodiment of a container according to the invention.
• 2nd Part of the inside of a further embodiment of a container according to the invention.
• 3rd Schematic representation of a hollow wire as part of an embodiment of a container according to the invention 2nd .

1 shows simplified a spatial view of an embodiment of a container according to the invention 1 , which is designed here as a strainer basket. Medical instruments can preferably be placed in the container by means of suitable holders 1 to be ordered. For the sake of clarity, neither a medical instrument nor a holder for this is shown. The hollow wall inside 2nd of the container 1 is perforated like a sieve, ie has a plurality of perforations 4th on, for example, cleaning solution into the interior of the container 1 can penetrate. The soffits of the breakthroughs 4th are closed. In the wall 2nd are to the inside of the container 1 openings 3rd arranged, ie the openings 3rd are located in the inner wall of the double-walled wall 2nd . openings 3rd that would not be visible here because they are from the outer wall of the double-walled wall 2nd are covered, are shown here in dotted lines. The inside of the wall 2nd stands with a connection 5 in fluid communication, via which a fluid, for example a cleaning and / or disinfecting solution, into the wall 2nd can be initiated. Inside the hollow wall 2nd is a channel system through which the fluid to the openings 3rd and inside the container 1 can reach. All openings 3rd stand above the duct system in the wall 2nd with the connection 5 in fluid communication, so that it is sufficient to introduce the fluid into the connection in order to use the channel system in the entire interior of the container 1 up to the openings 3rd to distribute and dispense there into the interior of the container. This way are in the container 1 Clean and disinfect inserted medical devices efficiently and seamlessly. Of course, an embodiment is also possible in which perforations are used 4th is dispensed with, and the fluid flows out of the container 1 is dissipated. In the simple embodiment shown here, round openings are uniform 3rd intended. However, it is possible and also preferred to have openings 3rd with different dimensions, for example diameters, and / or geometries, for example round, polygonal, oval, longitudinally oval or slot-shaped openings 3rd to provide. For example, different container areas can be provided with different opening sizes.

In 2nd is part of a further embodiment of a container according to the invention designed as a wire basket 1 shown. Here is the wall 2nd of the container 1 from hollow wires running parallel to each other and crossed 6 with a round cross section. In the wall 7 of the hollow wires 6 are openings facing the inside of the container 3rd introduced (see 3rd ). The wires 6 are in fluid communication with a connection that is not visible here 5 on the container 1 , via which the fluid, for example a cleaning and / or disinfecting solution, into the container 1 can be directed.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• US 2012/0085720 A1 [0002]
• US 7871582 B2 [0002]

Claims (8)

Container (1) for reprocessing medical instruments with a wall (2) which is hollow on the inside and through which a fluid can flow and which has openings (3) pointing towards the inside of the container (1), the interior of the hollow wall (2) having at least a connection (5) is in fluid communication, via which the fluid can be introduced into the wall (2). Container (1) after Claim 1 , wherein the wall (2) of the container (1) has openings (4). Container (1) after Claim 2 , wherein the wall (2) of the container has a grid made of internally hollow wires (6) through which the fluid can flow or consists of a grid made of internally hollow wires (6) through which the fluid can flow and which point towards the inside of the container (1) Have openings (3) in their wall (7), and the wires (6) are in fluid communication with the at least one connection (5) via which the fluid can be introduced into the wires (6). Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (2) is made of metal. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (2) is made of plastic. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the container (1) is open on one side. Container (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (2) has openings (3) which differ from one another in their geometry and / or their size. Container (1) after Claim 7 , wherein the wall (2) has at least two groups of openings (3) which differ from one another in their geometry and / or their size, and wherein the at least two groups of openings (3) are fluidically separated from one another and each with its own Connection (5) are in fluid communication, via which the fluid can be introduced separately to the at least two groups of openings (3).

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