Sichuan University Licenses Semi-Automatic Surgical Instrument Pre-Treatment Machine Patent for Enhanced Infection Control

Recently,West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Zibo Jinjian Medical Device Co., Ltd.Conclude a patent licensing transaction, withRMB 160,000the proposed transaction price, intending to“A Semi-Automatic Preprocessing Machine for Surgical Instruments”. The licensing of technical usage rights has been implemented.

This innovation, centered on the medical device sector, may appear to be merely a technological translation of a single device, but in fact it precisely addresses the long-standing clinical challenges of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevention and control as well as device reprocessing, thereby providing an efficient solution for the medical industry’s device reprocessing workflows.

In clinical medical practice,Surgical Infectionremain a significant risk factor threatening patients' lives and health, and affecting the quality of medical care, whilePre-treatment of Surgical InstrumentsAs the first critical line of defense against surgical site infections, the standardization of its procedures and the efficacy of its processing directly determine the quality of subsequent cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization steps, thereby affecting the safety of instrument reuse and patient treatment outcomes.

Pre-treatment of Surgical InstrumentsThe so-called pre-treatment of surgical instruments refers to the preliminary processing performed after instrument use to enhance subsequent cleaning and sterilization efficacy, reduce damage to instruments from contaminants, and lower the risk of cross-infection. Its core objective is to promptly decompose organic contaminants such as blood, tissue fluids, and mucus, thereby preventing these contaminants from drying out and forming biofilms on the instrument surfaces. Once formed, such biofilms not only hinder effective contact between disinfecting agents and microorganisms, significantly compromising sterilization effectiveness and markedly increasing infection risks, but also cause continuous corrosion of the instrument surfaces, shortening their service life and raising hospital medical supply costs.

Furthermore, standardized and efficient pre-processing can effectively minimize direct contact between operators and contaminants, thereby reducing the risk of occupational exposure. It also shortens the time required for subsequent cleaning procedures and improves the pass rate of instrument cleaning, playing an irreplaceable and significant role in optimizing hospital operational efficiency and enhancing overall medical benefits.

However, the traditional pre-treatment protocols for surgical instruments currently widely adopted in clinical practice have many prominent shortcomings and fail to meet the modern healthcare demands for precision, efficiency, and safety. The current mainstream pre-treatment process is as follows: After surgery, medical staff rinse contaminated instruments under running water to remove visible blood stains from the surface. Subsequently, the instruments are placed in ordinary containers and soaked in multi-enzyme detergent for at least 2 minutes, or a moisturizer is directly sprayed onto the instrument surfaces using a manual spray bottle. For instruments that cannot be cleaned immediately, the drying of contaminants is merely delayed by repeatedly spraying moisturizers.

However, this traditional model reliant on manual operation has obvious drawbacks: first, the soaking time is entirely dependent on human judgment and control,Lack of Precise Quantitative Standards, prolonged soaking may cause corrosion of instruments by detergents, while insufficient soaking time fails to adequately break down organic contaminants, resulting in incomplete pre-cleaning and posing risks for subsequent sterilization processes.

Second,High Costs of Consumables Such as Multi-Enzyme Detergents and Moisturizers, issues such as uneven application and significant waste are prone to occur during manual addition or spraying, which not only increases the operational costs for hospitals but also makes it difficult to ensure that all instruments receive uniform and effective treatment.

Thirdly,Lack of Automated Batch Processing Capability, when faced with large batches of instruments due to high surgical volumes, manual processing is inefficient and labor-intensive. It is susceptible to subjective factors such as operator fatigue and negligence, which can compromise processing quality, thereby further increasing the risk of infection and instrument wear and tear.

Fourth,Lack of Closed-Loop Management in the Handling Process, making it impossible to record and trace key parameters such as soaking time and reagent dosage, which hinders comprehensive quality control in healthcare. Therefore, the development of a surgical instrument pre-treatment device that combines precision, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and universal applicability has become crucial to addressing industry pain points and meeting urgent clinical needs.

To address the shortcomings of traditional solutions and fill the gap in market demand, the semi-automatic surgical instrument preprocessor has been launched“Precise Control, High Efficiency and Convenience, Cost-Effectiveness”as the core design philosophy, it has achieved multiple innovative breakthroughs in technical architecture, functional implementation, and structural design, thereby establishing comprehensive competitive advantages. InOperation ModeAbove, the device innovatively adopts“Electronic Control: Automatic + Manual Emergency”Dual-mode design achieves a dual enhancement in operational flexibility and scenario adaptability.

On the one hand, throughIntelligent Control PanelOperators can preset key parameters such as soaking time, the ratio of cleaning agent to water, and the timing of waste liquid discharge. The equipment will automatically complete the entire process, including lid opening and closing, lifting and lowering of the soaking basket, precise dispensing of reagents, instrument soaking, and waste liquid collection and discharge. This eliminates the need for continuous manual intervention, effectively avoiding subjective human errors and ensuring the standardization and consistency of the pre-treatment process.

On the other hand, the device is equipped withFoot-Operated Press Plate Mechanism, in the event of an emergency or when urgent operation is required, the operator can directly drive the lifting and lowering of the immersion basket by stepping on the foot pedal, thereby quickly completing the loading and unloading of instruments, which greatly enhances the practicality of the device in complex clinical scenarios.

InCore Feature OptimizationAbove, the device directly addresses the core pain points of traditional solutions, achieving two key breakthroughs:

1. Precise and controllable soaking time, by strictly enforcing the preset soaking duration via the electronic control system, the system automatically drives the soaking basket to rise upon completion, lifting the instruments out of the soaking solution. This fundamentally eliminates instrument corrosion caused by excessive soaking time, while ensuring thorough decomposition of contaminants and guaranteeing effective pre-cleaning.

Second, moisturizers are applied with high efficiency and energy savings., the equipment innovatively incorporates a combination of distribution tubes and evenly spaced nozzles within a sealed processing chamber. Working in conjunction with a precisely controlled water pump system, this design enables uniform, quantitative spraying of moisturizing agents onto instrument surfaces. Compared to traditional manual spraying methods, it not only delivers more uniform and longer-lasting moisturization but also reduces moisturizer consumption by over 30%, significantly lowering medical consumable costs.

InStructural Design, the device balancesPracticality, Portability, and Safety:High-strength casters are installed at the base of the device, facilitating flexible movement and deployment between different areas such as operating rooms and sterile supply centers, without the need for fixed installation space. An independent waste liquid tank is built in and connected to the soaking trough via dedicated piping. Working in conjunction with solenoid valves for precise control of waste discharge, this system enables centralized containment and compliant disposal of contaminants, thereby preventing secondary pollution caused by waste liquid leakage.

Meanwhile, the equipment constructs an automated instrument basket transfer system through the coordinated linkage of mechanical structures such as telescopic motors, rotary motors, threaded rods, and guide rods. This system enables continuous operations for batch instruments, including “soaking, transfer, and humidification.” Upon completion of soaking, the device automatically transfers the instrument baskets to the placement area, where a spray nozzle system performs humidification treatment. This significantly enhances the processing efficiency of batch instruments, making it particularly suitable for medical institutions with high surgical volumes.

Compared with similar products on the market, this patented technology has established a distinct differentiation by leveraging precise market positioning and core technological advantages. Currently, there are many similar semi-automatic surgical instrument pre-treatment machines available on the market, which have brought great convenience to clinical applications.

Meiyajie Semi-Automatic Surgical Instrument Pre-treatment Machine,Deeply specialized in the processing of contaminated surgical instruments in hospital settings, this equipment features high-efficiency spray washing and compatibility with a wide variety of instrument types. Equipped with a nozzle-based spray cleaning system, it effectively removes stubborn residues from instrument surfaces and within crevices. The device supports a complete workflow comprising pre-cleaning, spray washing, rinsing, disinfection and lubrication, and drying, meeting the pre-treatment needs for conventional surgical instruments, respiratory and anesthesia circuits, humidifier bottles, and other medical devices. It adopts an electrically operated lifting door structure with a dual-door interlock design and intelligent anti-pinch protection. Operation supports either manual loading or automatic loading/unloading via compatible AGV robots. A high-definition touchscreen displays real-time operational status, while data can be printed for record-keeping and integrated with traceability systems. With its stable performance, it has become a preferred choice for central sterile supply departments (CSSD) in mid-to-high-end hospitals, effectively reducing manual workload and the risk of cross-infection.

Jinike JK Series Semi-Automatic Preprocessor, precisely tailored to the operational needs of small and medium-sized hospitals and private medical institutions, balancing convenience with practicality. The device employs an imported PLC programmable control system paired with a 7-inch color touchscreen HMI (Human-Machine Interface). With multiple preset programs available for flexible selection, it completes processes such as initial rinsing, enzymatic cleaning, disinfection, and air drying via one-touch startup, eliminating the need for complex manual intervention. It features a foot-activated electric door mechanism to prevent secondary contamination from hand contact, and is equipped with a full-process leak detection and automatic alarm system that monitors endoscope status in real time to ensure processing safety. Its modular design accommodates the requirements of different departments; it can process not only conventional surgical instruments but also perform high-pressure spraying, automatic irrigation, and full-immersion disinfection for endoscopes. With excellent noise control and low maintenance costs, it is well-suited to the spatial and budgetary constraints of primary healthcare institutions.

Getinge AER 4400 as a High-End International Semi-Automatic Pre-treatment Machine Dedicated to Endoscopes, it commands a core share of the global high-end market by leveraging stringent compliance and precise processing technology. The device strictly adheres to international cleaning and disinfection standards, focusing on the pre-treatment of flexible endoscopes such as gastroscopes and colonoscopes. By employing precise enzyme control technology and a high-pressure perfusion system, it achieves thorough, dead-angle-free cleaning of luminal components, including instrument channels and suction channels, while simultaneously ensuring efficient disinfection and drying. The entire operation process is fully traceable, capable of accurately recording various parameters and supporting data export, thereby meeting the high-standard requirements of endoscopy centers in foreign-funded hospitals and top-tier tertiary (Grade 3A) hospitals in China. Its core advantage lies in its ability to process complex luminal instruments, effectively reducing the risk of cross-infection associated with endoscopes. Despite a simplified operational workflow, the technology presents high barriers to entry, making it the preferred equipment for endoscope pre-treatment in high-end medical settings.