Method for operating a reconditioning apparatus and a medical system

Abstract

A reconditioning apparatus including: a chamber for a medical instrument having a channel(s); fluid connections in the chamber connected to the channel(s) to flush them with a reconditioning fluid; a memory for storing data sets, each data set comprising information relating to an allocation of the fluid connections to a specific type of medical instrument; and an input device for detecting an identifying feature; wherein the input device detects the identifying feature of the medical instrument, in which information relating to the type of the medical instrument is stored; a controller compares the type of the medical instrument identified based on the read-out information with data sets in the memory and establishes an allocation of a fluid connection(s) connected to the channel(s) on the basis of the identified type and actuates a compressed air source to apply compressed air to the allocated fluid connections to blow out the channel(s).

Claims

1. A reconditioning apparatus for cleaning and disinfecting at least one medical instrument having at least one internal channel, wherein the reconditioning apparatus comprises: a reconditioning chamber configured to receive the medical instrument during reconditioning; a plurality of fluid connections disposed in the reconditioning chamber configured for connection to the at least one internal channel in order to flush the channel with a reconditioning fluid; a controller comprising hardware; a compressed air source; a memory for storing a plurality of data sets, each data set comprising information relating to an allocation of the plurality of fluid connections in the reconditioning chamber to a specific type of a medical instrument; and an input device for detecting an identifying feature; wherein the input device is configured to detect the identifying feature of the medical instrument, in which information relating to the type of the medical instrument is stored; the controller is configured to compare the type of the medical instrument identified on the basis of the information relating to the type of the medical instrument with data sets in the memory and establish an allocation of one or more fluid connections of the plurality of fluid connections connected to the at least one internal channel on the basis of the identified type and actuate the compressed air source to apply compressed air to the allocated one or more fluid connections, to blow out reconditioning fluid present in the at least one internal channel.

2. The reconditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to apply further compressed air to fluid connections of the plurality of fluid connections that are not allocated to the identified type of medical instrument.

3. The reconditioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to apply the further compressed air for a shorter time than a time that the compressed air is applied to the at least one allocated fluid connection.

4. The reconditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the identifying feature of the medical instrument is a machine-readable identifying feature and the input device is a reading device for detecting the machine-readable identifying feature; and the controller is further configured to detect the identifying feature read out by the reading device.

5. A medical system comprising: a reconditioning apparatus according to claim 4; and the at least one medical instrument, the at least one medical instrument comprises the machine-readable identifying feature, in which information relating to the type of the medical instrument is stored.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The embodiments will be described below without limiting the general concept of the invention by means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein reference is expressly made to the drawings regarding all of the details which are not explained in greater detail in the text, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a medical system comprising a reconditioning apparatus and a medical instrument in a schematically simplified perspective representation, and

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a schematically simplified top view of a reconditioning chamber of a reconditioning apparatus, in which a medical instrument is arranged.

(4) In the drawings, the same or similar elements and/or parts are, in each case, provided with the same reference numerals so that they are not introduced again in each case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows, in a simplified, schematic and perspective view, a medical system 2 comprising a reconditioning apparatus 4 and a medical instrument 6. The reconditioning apparatus 4 is configured to clean and/or disinfect at least one medical instrument 6, such as a surgical instrument, for example an endoscope. For this purpose, the reconditioning apparatus 4 comprises a reconditioning chamber 10 behind a door 8. One or more medical instruments 6 are typically arranged in the reconditioning chamber 10 during the reconditioning process. In addition, the reconditioning apparatus 4 comprises an operating unit 12.

(6) In addition, the reconditioning apparatus 4 comprises a control unit 14 (such as a controller including hardware), a compressed air unit 16 (such as a compressed source), a database 18, which can be a part of the control unit 14, as well as an input unit (device) 20 for detecting an identifying feature of the medical instrument 6. The identifying feature is, for example, a serial number or a type number. The identifying feature can be a machine-readable identifying feature. For example, a RFID tag, a barcode and/or a QR code is provided as the machine-readable identifying feature. The identifying feature is input, for example, manually, e.g. via the operating unit 12. If a machine-readable identifying feature is provided, the input unit 20 is, for example, an RFID reader. The compressed air unit 16 of the reconditioning apparatus 4 comprises a compressed air connection 22, via which the reconditioning apparatus 4 is connected to a compressed air supply network. During the reading-out process, the machine-readable identifying feature can be located both inside and outside the reconditioning chamber 10.

(7) The medical instrument 6 which is, for example, an endoscope, has an internal channel, for example a working channel. After the medical instrument 6 has been used, the internal channel must be cleaned or respectively flushed in the channel, which is not represented in the figure, during the reconditioning. The internal channel of the medical instrument 6 is flushed with a reconditioning fluid, for example a cleaning and disinfecting solution or alkaline solution. In addition, the medical instrument 6 comprises an identifying feature 24, such as a machine-readable identifying feature, for example a QR code or a RFID tag.

(8) FIG. 2 shows the reconditioning chamber 10 of the reconditioning apparatus 4 in a schematically simplified top view. The medical instrument 6 is arranged in a schematically represented reconditioning basket 25 which is located inside the reconditioning chamber 10. Multiple fluid connections 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d, which are also to be designated in general with reference numeral 26, are present or respectively arranged in the reconditioning chamber 10. The reconditioning fluid is supplied to the internal channel of the medical instrument 6 via the fluid connections 26. By way of example, the medical instrument 6 represented in FIG. 2 comprises two internal channels (which are not represented). A first internal channel is accordingly coupled fluidically via a first connection hose 28a and the second channel is coupled fluidically via a second connection hose 28b to the first fluid connection 26a or respectively the second fluid connection 26b. The further fluid connections 26c and 26d are not allocated, that is to say they remain free. In the case of the type of the medical instrument 6 represented by way of example, the fluid connections 26a and 26b are considered to be allocated and the fluid connections 26c and 26d are considered to not be allocated. The information about which connections are allocated and which are not is referred to as the allocation of the fluid connections.

(9) In order to recondition the medical instrument 6, the medical instrument 6 is coupled fluidically via the connection hoses 28a, 28b to the fluid connections 26a, 26b. The internal channels of the medical instrument 6 are subsequently flushed with the reconditioning fluid. If the medical instrument 6 which is, for example, already located inside the reconditioning basket 25, is introduced into the reconditioning chamber 10, the input unit 20 of the reconditioning apparatus 4 reads out the machine-readable identifying feature of the medical instrument 6. Alternatively, during loading of the reconditioning apparatus 4, the identifying feature, that is to say for example a serial number or a type number, is manually input via the operating unit 12. A plurality of data sets is stored in the database 18 of the control unit 14, which each comprise information relating to an allocation of the fluid connections 26 present in the reconditioning chamber 10 to the relevant type of a medical instrument 6.

(10) For example, the database 18 therefore comprises a multiplicity of data sets, wherein each individual data set is assigned to a specific type of an endoscope. Information about which of the fluid connections 26 is allocated to the relevant type of the endoscope is stored in this data set. In the represented exemplary embodiment, the associated data set would comprise the information that the endoscope which is represented, by way of example, as the medical instrument 6, is allocated to the first and the second fluid connection 26a, 26b.

(11) This information can be automatically detected if the medical instrument 6 is inserted into the reconditioning chamber 10, in which the machine-readable identifying feature of the medical instrument 6 is specifically read out by the input unit 20. The information relating to the type of the medical instrument 6 placed in the reconditioning chamber 10 is compared by the control unit 14 with the data sets present in the database 18. Thus, an allocation of the fluid connections 26a, 26b connected to the internal channel is then established on the basis of the identified type. The control unit 14 then actuates the compressed air unit 16 in such a manner that a shot of compressed air is applied to the allocated fluid connections 26a, 26b, so that reconditioning fluid present in the flushed internal channels of the medical instrument 6 can be blown out from the channels.

(12) This process takes place, for example, at the end of the reconditioning process. The internal channels of the medical instrument 6 are not only freed of the reconditioning fluid. They can also be dried by such a shot of compressed air.

(13) The reconditioning of the medical instrument 6 can comprise multiple steps. For example, the internal channels of the medical instrument 6 can be flushed with various reconditioning fluids in multiple consecutive flushing steps. The shot of compressed air is then applied to the fluid connections 26a, 26b allocated to the medical instrument 6 between two consecutive flushing steps. This reduces the transfer of alkaline solution. In other words, only an unavoidable small quantity of reconditioning fluid is therefore transferred from one flushing step to the next.

(14) In order to ensure that compressed air is not wasted during the application of the shot of compressed air to the fluid connections 26, the unallocated fluid connections 26c, 26d can be shut off at least during the time of the shot of compressed air, such as where all of the fluid connections 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d are supplied via a common supply line.

(15) According to another embodiment, a further shot of compressed air can be applied to the fluid connections 26c, 26d which are not allocated to the identified type of medical instrument 6. This further shot of compressed air can last a shorter time than the shot of compressed air, with which the at least one flushed internal channel of the medical instrument 6 is blown out. The comparison of the temporal duration of the two shots of compressed air requires, for better comparability, that these be observed at the same pressure. Reconditioning fluid, which collects in the unallocated fluid connections 26c, 26d during the reconditioning process, is blown out by the further shot of compressed air. Thus, following the termination of the reconditioning process, the machine is optimally cleaned and is ready for the following and next reconditioning process, without cleaning fluid being transferred from one process to the next.

(16) While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments, 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 REFERENCE NUMERALS

(17) 2 Medical system

(18) 4 Reconditioning apparatus

(19) 6 Medical instrument

(20) 8 Door

(21) 10 Reconditioning chamber

(22) 12 Operating unit

(23) 14 Control unit

(24) 16 Compressed air unit

(25) 18 Database

(26) 20 Input unit

(27) 22 Compressed air connection

(28) 24 Identifying feature

(29) 25 Reconditioning basket

(30) 26, 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d Fluid connections

(31) 28a, 28b Connection hoses