Adjustable Flow Diverter for Targeted Contrast Media Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for delivering contrast media in medical procedures, such as coronary angiography, often result in systemic toxicity and inefficient delivery, leading to kidney damage and increased healthcare costs due to over-injection and systemic effects, with existing solutions being complex, expensive, and ineffective in minimizing toxic effects.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a syringe, a delivery catheter, and a flow diverter assembly that modulates the delivery of fluid media by diverting excess fluid away from the catheter conduit, increasing resistance with pressure, ensuring targeted delivery while minimizing systemic effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If contrast media is delivered systemically to ensure adequate coverage, then diagnostic quality is improved, but systemic toxicity and kidney damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is segmented into multiple catheter pathways: a first catheter delivers contrast media selectively to the coronary arteries for diagnostic imaging, while a second catheter provides systemic circulation. This segmentation enables targeted delivery to improve diagnostic quality while minimizing systemic toxicity by limiting the amount of contrast media exposed to renal systems.
2Productivity
If contrast media is delivered at high flow rates to reduce injection time, then productivity is improved, but over-injection and systemic effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic flow control through independently adjustable pumps for each catheter pathway. The flow rates can be modulated in real-time based on procedural needs, allowing high-speed injection when diagnostic quality requires it, while automatically reducing flow rates to prevent over-injection and systemic effects. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between productivity and substance quantity control.
3Manufacturing precision
If existing flow control solutions are implemented, then delivery precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the flow control function into separate, independently controlled modules for each catheter pathway. Each module contains its own pump and control mechanism, allowing precise delivery control without requiring a single complex centralized system. This modular segmentation achieves high delivery precision while managing overall system complexity through standardized, replaceable units.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system optimizes contrast media delivery to specific vascular sites, reducing systemic toxicity and over-injection, thereby minimizing kidney damage and healthcare costs by precisely controlling the flow rate and volume of contrast media.
Implementation Method 1
the flow diverter assembly creates increasing medium fluid flow resistance with increasing pressure level of the fluid medium within the flow diverter assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A system for modulating delivery of a fluid medium includes an injector for injecting the fluid medium during an injection cycle, a delivery catheter including a conduit for delivering the fluid medium, a manifold disposed in a fluid medium flow path between the injector and the delivery catheter, and a pulsatile generator. The pulsatile generator is configured to apply a pulsatile force to the fluid medium defined by a plurality of duty cycles during the injection cycle, each of the duty cycles including a first pressure level and a second pressure level that is lower than the first pressure level.