TRANSPORT TROLLEY FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

Abstract

A transport trolley including at least one receiving compartment configured to receive an instrument tray; and one or more of: a pre-cleaning device configured to pre-clean a surgical instrument in the instrument tray, the pre-cleaning device is configured to be connected to the surgical instrument by a coupling; and a pre-cleaning apparatus configured to pre-clean an outside of the surgical instrument.

Claims

1. A transport trolley comprising: at least one receiving compartment configured to receive an instrument tray; and one or more of: a pre-cleaning device configured to pre-clean a surgical instrument in the instrument tray, the pre-cleaning device is configured to be connected to the surgical instrument by a coupling; and a pre-cleaning apparatus configured to pre-clean an outside of the surgical instrument.

2. The transport trolley according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid supply configured to hold a pre-cleaning fluid for use with one or more of the pre-cleaning device and the pre-cleaning apparatus.

3. The transport trolley according to claim 2, wherein the coupling device is configured to fluidly connect one or more channels of the surgical instrument to the pre-cleaning fluid in the fluid supply.

4. The transport trolley according to claim 2, further comprising a fluid pump connected to the fluid supply by a fluid feed line.

5. The transport trolley according to claim 2, further comprising a fluid return line for removing the pre-cleaning fluid from the instrument tray.

6. The transport trolley according to claim 5, wherein the fluid return line is connected to the fluid supply configured to hold the pre-cleaning fluid and one or more of a filter for the pre-cleaning fluid is arranged in the fluid return line and a pump is arranged in the fluid return line.

7. The transport trolley according to claim 5, wherein the fluid return line is coupled to one or more channels of the surgical instrument.

8. The transport trolley according to claim 1, further comprising an identification sensor configured to detect an identification code provided on the surgical instrument.

9. The transport trolley according to claim 8, wherein the identification sensor is selected from a list consisting of a scanner, a barcode scanner and an RFID sensor.

10. The transport trolley according to claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control at least one pre-cleaning process for pre-cleaning the surgical instrument.

11. The transport trolley according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cleaning device is configured to pre-clean one or more channels of the surgical instrument by pre-cleaning fluid.

12. The transport trolley according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cleaning apparatus comprises one or more of a nozzle and an outlet port, wherein one or more of the nozzle and the outlet port are arranged in the instrument tray.

13. The transport trolley according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cleaning apparatus comprises a fluid supply configured to hold a pre-cleaning fluid for pre-cleaning the outside of the surgical instrument.

14. The transport trolley according to claim 1, wherein the pre-cleaning apparatus comprises a fluid pump connected to the fluid supply by a fluid feed line.

15. The transport trolley according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid outlet line configured to remove pre-cleaning fluid from the instrument tray.

16. The transport trolley according to claim 15, wherein the fluid outlet line is connected to a fluid container configured to hold the pre-cleaning fluid and one or more of a filter for the pre-cleaning fluid is arranged in the fluid outlet line and a pump is arranged in the fluid outlet line.

17. A method for cleaning a surgical instrument, the method comprising: pre-cleaning the surgical instrument in a transport trolley while the surgical instrument is being transported to a processing device for cleaning the surgical instrument; and subsequent to the pre-cleaning, cleaning the surgical instrument using the processing device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the cleaning is performed in the processing device while the processing device is stationary.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the pre-cleaning comprising one or more of sending first pre-cleaning fluid through one or more internal channels of the surgical instrument and applying second pre-cleaning fluid to an outside of the surgical instrument.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first pre-cleaning fluid is the same as the second pre-cleaning fluid.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the pre-cleaning is automatically carried out on the transport trolley.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further features will become evident from the description of embodiments, together with the claims and the appended drawings. Embodiments can fulfill individual features or a combination of several features.

[0031] The embodiments are described below, without restricting the general idea of the invention, based on the exemplary embodiments in reference to the drawings, whereby we expressly refer to the drawings with regard to the disclosure of all details that are not explained in greater detail in the text. In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic cross-sectional representation of a transport trolley for surgical instruments;

[0033] FIG. 2a illustrates a schematic cross-sectional representation of a transport trolley for surgical instruments according to another embodiment.

[0034] FIG. 2b illustrates a schematic cross-sectional representation of a transport trolley for surgical instruments according to another embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In the drawings, the same or similar elements and/or parts are, in each case, provided with the same reference numerals such that they are not introduced again in each case.

[0036] In FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic cross-section view, a mobile transport trolley 10 for surgical instruments 100, such as endoscopes. The mobile transport trolley 10 comprises a rack 12 with wheels 14 at the bottom. The rack 12 is provided with receiving compartments 16 for receiving an instrument tray 18 (one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1). In the instrument tray 18, one surgical instrument 100 is arranged after the use of the surgical instrument, for example for a surgery.

[0037] The instrument tray 18 comprises a pivotable, cover 19, which can be pivotable, in order to close the instrument tray after accommodating the surgical instrument 100 inside the instrument tray 18. The closed instrument tray 18 is positioned in the receiving compartment 16 for pre-cleaning the surgical instrument on the transport trolley 10.

[0038] Moreover, the transport trolley 10 comprises a pre-cleaning device 20 for the pre-cleaning process of the surgical instrument 100. The pre-cleaning device 20 has a fluid supply 22, which is filled with a pre-cleaning fluid or liquid for the surgical instrument 100. The fluid supply 22 is connected with the surgical instrument 100 via a pump 24, wherein the pump 24 is connected with the surgical instrument by a fluid feed line 26. At the end of the fluid feed line 26 an adapter 28 or connector is provided in order to connect one or more channels (hereinafter channels) of the surgical instrument to the fluid feed line 26.

[0039] The pump 24 pumps the pre-cleaning fluid from the fluid supply 22 into the channels of the surgical instrument 100. The pre-cleaning fluid emerges out of the channels of the surgical instrument 100 at the outlet side of the channels. At the outlet side of the channels a connector 30 is provided in order to connect the outlet side of the channels of the surgical instrument with a fluid return line 32. The emerging pre-cleaning fluid flows or is discharged through the fluid return line 32 and is pumped by a pump 34 in the fluid return line 32 into the fluid supply 22. In the fluid return line 32 a filter 36 is provided in order to filter the unclean returned or discharged pre-cleaning fluid.

[0040] Furthermore, the rack 12 of the transport trolley 10 has an identification sensor 38 or the like corresponding to each receiving compartment 16 in order to identify the surgical instrument 100, which has to be pre-cleaned on the transport trolley 10. Therefore, the surgical instruments 100 are provided with an RFID tag 110. The information provided by the RFID tag can be read by the identification sensor 38.

[0041] In addition, the transport trolley 10 comprises a controller 40 configured to control the pre-cleaning processes of the surgical instrument 100 by the pre-cleaning device 20 arranged on the transport trolley 10. The controller can be hardware or any combination of hardware and software and also have a corresponding memory.

[0042] In a further (non-shown) embodiment, the fluid return line 32 can be connected with a separated fluid container in order to collect the pre-cleaning fluid emerging out of the channels of the surgical instrument 100.

[0043] The transport trolley 100 is used for a pre-cleaning process of the surgical instruments 100, wherein the used surgical instruments are accommodated in the receiving compartments 16 of the transport trolley 10 for pre-cleaning the surgical instruments, before the pre-cleaned surgical instruments are transported or moved to a reprocessing and disinfection device, which can be stationary.

[0044] The embodiments shown in FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b illustrate each schematically of a transport trolley for surgical instruments in cross-section. In comparison to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the transport trolley 10 in FIG. 2a comprises a pre-cleaning apparatus 120 for the pre-cleaning of the outside of the surgical instrument 100, wherein a pump 124 is connected with the fluid supply 22 in order to pump or to convey a pre-cleaning fluid to a nozzle 130, which sprays the pre-cleaning fluid onto the outer surface of the surgical instrument 100 in the instrument tray 18. Hereby, the outer surface as well as outer operating units, such as control knobs, buttons and/or wheels etc., of the surgical instrument 100 are pre-cleaned by the pre-cleaning fluid. The pre-cleaning fluid for the outer surface of the surgical instrument is discharged out of the instrument tray by the fluid outlet line 132.

[0045] According to the embodiment of FIG. 2b, the fluid supply 22 is connected via one common pump 24 and a valve 125 with the adapter 28. Moreover, the valve 125 in the feed line 26 is also connected with the nozzle 130 in order to pre-clean the outside of the surgical instruments 100. Depending on the switching or the position of the valve 125, the inner channels of the surgical instrument 100 and/or the outside of the surgical instrument 100 is pre-cleaned by the pre-cleaning fluid.

[0046] While there has been shown and described what is considered to be embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0047] 10 Transport trolley [0048] 12 Rack [0049] 14 Wheel [0050] 16 Receiving compartment [0051] 18 Instrument tray [0052] 19 Cover [0053] 20 Pre-cleaning device [0054] 22 Fluid supply [0055] 24 Pump [0056] 26 Fluid feed line [0057] 28 Adapter [0058] 30 Connector [0059] 32 Fluid return line [0060] 34 Pump [0061] 36 Filter [0062] 38 Identification sensor [0063] 40 Control unit [0064] 100 Surgical instrument [0065] 110 RFID tag [0066] 120 Pre-cleaning device [0067] 124 Pump [0068] 125 Valve [0069] 130 Nozzle [0070] 132 Fluid outlet line