Fully Disposable Suction & Irrigation Apparatus

Fully Disposable Suction and Irrigation Apparatus for Use in Medical Procedures

Background

During Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgical procedures, it is common practice for a surgeon or other healthcare professional to apply suction and irrigation to a surgical site in order to clear blood clots, bodily matter, and foreign material. While applying suction to the site, clogging of the cannula may occur when debris builds up in the cannula tip, preventing optimal clearance and management of the surgical site. Clogging of the cannula interrupts the surgical sequence and must be corrected by staff while extending total surgery time by 30-60 seconds each time. The current standard of technology is a reusable metal cannula that has no quick and efficient means of clearing the tip from obstruction. Reusable cannulas must also be cleaned and sterilized, while biological matter may still be present in the cannula after reprocessing. Multiple metal tips in various sizes are sometimes used for procedures, adding to the total cost of reprocessing.

Technology

This technology is a fully disposable suction and irrigation system for use during ENT procedures. The system includes a universal handle member, interchangeable tips in different French sizes, a storage and receptacle box, and an unblocking device. There are several different iterations of this device based on varying surgical needs for both otology and rhinology procedures. The device allows for a surgeon by themselves to quickly and efficiently change cannula tips as desired throughout the procedure with the option to clear clogs as needed with an included probe. The system is fully disposed at the completion of the surgery, eliminating the need for reprocessing of sometimes multiple metal tips and saving time. At least 2.5 – 3.0 million ENT procedures are conducted annually as outpatient procedures in the U.S., with the potential for utilization in many more.

For more information, please contact Ryan Allison (Ryan.Allison@UHhospitals.org).