DEVICE FOR TESTING THE LEAKPROOFNESS OF A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, REPROCESSING DEVICE FOR REPROCESSING SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND USE OF A SWELLABLE MATERIAL BODY

Abstract

A connecting device through which a gas can flow, for connecting a port of a surgical instrument to a reprocessing device for cleaning the surgical instrument, the connecting device including: a self-actuating valve with a swellable material body.

Claims

1. A connecting device through which a gas can flow, for connecting a port of a surgical instrument to a reprocessing device for cleaning the surgical instrument, the connecting device comprising: a self-actuating valve with a swellable material body.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the swellable material body is configured to swell upon contact with a liquid and, when swelled, to block the flow of gas through the connecting device.

3. The connecting device according to claim 2, wherein the swellable material body is one or more of a hygroscopic material body, a cellulose material body, a fiber-reinforced cellulose material body, and a swellable membrane body.

4. The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the self-actuating valve comprises a housing through which the gas can flow from an inlet side to an outlet side, the swellable material body being arranged in the housing between the inlet side and the outlet side.

5. The connecting device according to claim 4, further comprising one or more of a first sieve arranged at the inlet side of the housing and a second sieve arranged at the outlet side of the housing.

6. The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device is configured as one of a connecting line or as an adapter.

7. The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device is configured as a ventilation line

8. The connecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid sensor in communication with the gas flow.

9. The connecting device according to claim 8, wherein the liquid sensor is a water sensor.

10. The connecting device according to claim 8, wherein the liquid sensor is arranged at an inlet side of the self-actuated valve before the swellable material body relative to a flow direction of the gas.

11. A reprocessing device for reprocessing surgical instruments the reprocessing device comprising the connecting device according to claim 1.

12. A method for testing the leakproofness of a surgical instrument during reprocessing of the surgical instrument, the method comprising: connecting the surgical instrument to a reprocessor for cleaning the surgical instrument using a connecting device; flowing gas through the surgical instrument and the connecting device; and determining whether a liquid is present in the gas if a swellable body in the connecting device swells to at least partially occlude a flow of gas through the connecting device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The embodiments are described below, without restricting the general idea of the invention, using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, whereby we expressly refer to the drawings with regard to all details that are not explained in greater detail in the text. In the figures:

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a cleaning and disinfecting device;

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section of a compressed air hose for connecting a compressed air source to an endoscope, and

[0030] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a cross-section of a compressed air hose according to another embodiment.

[0031] In the drawings, the same or similar elements and/or parts are each provided with the same reference numbers in order to prevent each item from needing to be reintroduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a reprocessing system 10, in the cleaning chamber 14 of which a flexible endoscope 2 is arranged that is ready to be cleaned and disinfected. The endoscope 2 comprises a handle 4 as well as a flexible shaft 6 which are both connected to connections of the reprocessing system 10.

[0033] The shaft 6 of the endoscope 2 is connected by a port to a reprocessing apparatus 30 of the reprocessing system 10, whereas the handle 4 is connected by a compressed air hose 23 with a compressed air source 22, such as a compressor, to the device 20 for supplying compressed air, termed a leakage tester for short. Like the reprocessing apparatus 30, this is connected to a control apparatus 12 of the reprocessing system 10 which accordingly also represents a control apparatus for the apparatus 20 for applying compressed air.

[0034] At the outlet of the compressed air source 22, an air pressure sensor 24 is connected to the compressed air hose 23 that measures the excess pressure of the air in the compressed air hose 23 above the ambient pressure, and also transmits corresponding signals via a signal line 26 to the control apparatus 12 of the reprocessing system 10. The control apparatus 12 is moreover connected to a display apparatus 40 by means of which the control apparatus 12 can be influenced externally, and conversely, data from the control apparatus 12 can be displayed, such as excess pressure measured data from the air pressure sensor 24 and/or process data.

[0035] The apparatus 20 for applying compressed air is connected from a compressed air source 22 via a compressed air hose 23 to an endoscope 2, which is only schematically indicated, wherein compressed air is pumped into the endoscope 2 and then also released.

[0036] An air pressure sensor 24 is connected to the compressed air hose 23 and measures the pressure of the air pressure in the compressed air hose 23 and in the endoscope 2. The air pressure sensor 24 can alternatively also measure directly at the endoscope 2 or at the outlet of the compressed air source 22.

[0037] Cross-sections of different embodiments of a compressed air hose 23 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0038] With the compressed air hose 23 shown in FIG. 2, a cartridge 50 is arranged in the compressed air hose 23 that has a sieve 52.1 and a sieve 52.2 on both sides to let an air flow pass through. When performing the leakproofness test of the endoscope while releasing air pumped into the endoscope, the sieve 52.1 is arranged at the air inlet side, and the sieve 52.2 is arranged at the air outlet side. A swelling material, or respectively a swellable material body 54 is arranged between the sieves 52.1, 52.2 and lets air from the endoscope pass through when dry air flows through, or respectively when releasing the air.

[0039] When the swelling material 54 contacts water in the air flow, the material body 54 swells and blocks the compressed air hose 23 such that the air flow is interrupted and blocked. This yields a complete blockage, or respectively stoppage in the compressed air hose 23 from the swelling of the swelling body 54. Contamination of other endoscopes with water when subsequently cleaning a plurality of endoscopes in the reprocessing system is thereby avoided. After the swelling material, or respectively the material body 54, contacts water, the cartridge 50 in the compressed air hose 23 is exchanged.

[0040] Instead of the swellable material body 54, the cartridge 50 can thus also have swellable membrane material, or respectively a swellable membrane that swells upon contact with water and also causes a blockage of the air flow in the compressed air hose 23.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a swelling disk 60 is arranged in a pot-shaped recess in a valve body 62. When ventilating the endoscope and checking the leakproofness, the air flow is meanderingly guided through the valve body 62 in which the swelling disk 60 is arranged. If the air flow guided through the valve body 62 contains water, the swelling disk 60 swells and comes in contact with a projection 64 of the valve body 62 such that the swelling disk surrounds the projection 64 in a swollen state and interrupts the air flow. This interrupts the free flow path of the volumetric flow while ventilating, and interrupts the outlet side of the valve body 62 from the inlet side for the air flow. The swollen state of the swelling disk 60 is portrayed in a dashed line.

[0042] In another embodiment, a water sensor 66 can additionally, or respectively optionally be arranged at the inlet side of the air flow, by means of which it is additionally discerned whether water is in the ventilating air flow. In the reprocessing device, it can thereby be additionally discerned that the swelling disk 60 has swollen from water in the endoscope.

[0043] 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

[0044] 2 Endoscope

[0045] 4 Handle

[0046] 6 Flexible shaft

[0047] 10 Reprocessing system

[0048] 12 Control unit

[0049] 14 Cleaning chamber

[0050] 20 Apparatus for applying compressed air

[0051] 22 Compressed air source

[0052] 23 Compressed air hose

[0053] 24 Air pressure sensor

[0054] 26 Signal line

[0055] 30 Reprocessing apparatus

[0056] 32 Rinsing hose

[0057] 40 Display unit

[0058] 50 Cartridge

[0059] 52.1, 52.2 Sieve

[0060] 54 Material body

[0061] 60 Swelling disk

[0062] 62 Valve body

[0063] 64 Projection

[0064] 66 Water sensor