Air Stop Membrane for IV Set Fluid Column Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IV set designs face challenges in preventing air bubbles from entering a patient's bloodstream during fluid administration, particularly after a fluid bag has emptied, requiring time-consuming re-priming and potential contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
An air stop membrane is integrated within the IV set, configured with a bubble point pressure to block air and maintain a fluid column downstream, using capillary action to prevent air entry and allowing for seamless transition to a new fluid bag without re-priming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a membrane is placed in the bottom of the drip chamber to filter air from fluid, then air bubbles are prevented from passing into the tubing, but the IV set must be re-primed after a fluid bag empties, requiring continuous clinician presence
Solution Approach 1:
The air stop membrane is pre-positioned in the drip chamber at a height that automatically engages to stop air entry before the fluid bag empties completely. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for post-emptying re-priming operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The air stop membrane acts as an intermediary component between the fluid bag and the tubing system. It selectively blocks air bubbles while allowing fluid to pass through, preventing air embolism without requiring continuous human intervention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If fluid is allowed to flow through the tubing to clear air bubbles during priming, then air bubbles are removed from the IV set, but the fluid must be discarded into a waste basket, creating contamination risk and requiring additional time
Solution Approach 1:
The air stop membrane extracts and blocks air bubbles from the fluid stream at the source (drip chamber), preventing them from entering the tubing. This eliminates the need for separate debubbling procedures and waste basket disposal.
Solution Approach 2:
The air stop membrane provides self-service by automatically preventing air entry into the tubing system without requiring clinician intervention for debubbling operations. The membrane continuously monitors and blocks air bubbles as they attempt to enter the fluid pathway.
3Productivity
If the drip chamber is squeezed to draw fluid into the drip chamber during priming, then fluid is drawn through the tubing, but air bubbles are trapped in the tubing and must be manually removed
Solution Approach 1:
The air stop membrane serves as an intermediary barrier that allows rapid fluid draw into the drip chamber while simultaneously blocking air bubbles from entering the tubing. This enables high-speed fluid administration without subsequent bubble removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The air stop membrane is positioned at a specific local height in the drip chamber where it selectively interacts with air bubbles while allowing fluid flow. This localized positioning enables differential treatment of fluid versus air, permitting rapid priming without bubble entrapment.
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 air stop membrane effectively prevents air from entering the patient's bloodstream, reducing the need for continuous clinician presence during fluid bag changes and minimizing contamination risks, while allowing continuous use of the IV set without re-priming for multiple fluid bags.
Implementation Method 1
using capillary action to prevent air entry and allowing for seamless transition to a new fluid bag without re-priming
Implementation Method 2
configured with a bubble point pressure to block air and maintain a fluid column downstream
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
AI summary
An air stop membrane can be used within an IV set to maintain a fluid column within the IV set downstream of the membrane even after a fluid bag has emptied. By maintaining a fluid column downstream of the membrane, air is prevented from entering into the tubing that couples the IV set to a vascular access device. For this reason, once a fluid bag has emptied, a new fluid bag can be coupled to the IV set without needing to re-prime the IV set. Therefore, a clinician need not be present as a fluid bag is emptying to ensure that air does not enter the tubing.