Design of a Flexible Silicon-based Speculum for Cervical Imaging

Current commercial stainless-steel speculum based cervical examinations often cause discomfort, which may lower patient compliance for future screening. This study introduces a flexible silicone probe sheath inspired by menstrual cups as an alternative to the stainless-steel speculum. The silicon probe sheath expands within the vaginal canal to permit access to the transvaginal imaging probe while minimizing the deformation of the vaginal canal. A structural analysis was performed to tradeoff between the deformation and the factor of safety (FoS) of the probe sheath, which showed a thickness of 1.60 mm as the most optimal. The silicone probe sheath provides a patient-friendly alternative to the speculum, potentially reducing discomfort and increasing participation in cervical cancer screening. This design encourages self-insertion of the silicon probe sheet by the patients, thereby enhancing accessibility and patient compliance in clinical settings.