Inhalant Anesthetic Flow Control for Faster Patient Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

The use of nitrous oxide in conscious sedation has declined due to safety concerns related to prolonged exposure, which poses an intoxicating hazard to clinic staff, necessitating improved techniques to reduce patient exposure time.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that control the fluid flow of nitrous oxide and oxygen in an inhalant anesthetic system, enabling nitrous oxide flow for a predetermined duration during a medical procedure and then switching to an oxygen flow for a separate predetermined duration to expedite patient recovery, utilizing a controller and flow control mechanisms to manage the anesthetic delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If nitrous oxide is administered continuously during a medical procedure, then effective pain blocking and sedation is maintained, but patient exposure time increases causing intoxicating hazard to staff and prolonged recovery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffective pain blockingVSAvoidpatient exposure time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-determines and programs the total duration of nitrous oxide administration before the procedure begins. The controller is configured with a predetermined time period that automatically controls the flow duration, preventing excessive exposure while ensuring adequate analgesia coverage for the expected procedure length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates sensors that monitor patient parameters and provide feedback to the controller. The controller adjusts the nitrous oxide flow rate and duration based on real-time feedback about patient response, ensuring the minimum effective exposure time is achieved without unnecessary prolongation of analgesia duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If nitrous oxide flow is reduced to minimize staff exposure, then safety hazard to staff is reduced, but effective sedation and pain blocking may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestaff exposure hazardVSAvoideffective sedation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the nitrous oxide flow rate based on real-time patient monitoring data. The controller modifies flow parameters within predetermined ranges to optimize the balance between achieving effective sedation and minimizing total exposure duration, thereby protecting staff while maintaining clinical efficacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes physical parameters of nitrous oxide delivery, including flow rate, concentration, and duration, based on patient response and procedure progression. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves effective pain blocking with the minimum necessary exposure time, reducing staff hazard while maintaining sedation quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of stationary object

If prolonged nitrous oxide exposure is used to ensure complete pain blocking throughout the procedure, then reliable analgesia is maintained, but patient recovery time is extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalgesia durationVSAvoidrecovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and programs the optimal duration of nitrous oxide administration based on the expected procedure length and patient factors. This predetermined time period ensures adequate analgesia coverage while automatically terminating flow before the procedure ends, preventing prolonged exposure that would extend recovery time without adding clinical benefit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system terminates nitrous oxide flow promptly at the predetermined endpoint, even if the procedure is still ongoing. This approach sacrifices minimal analgesia coverage at the very end of the procedure to ensure rapid patient recovery and minimize overall exposure duration, aligning with the goal of reducing recovery time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentUS20240050687A1Systems and methods of controllilng fluid flow of an inhalant anesthetic to expedite patient recovery

Publication Date: 2024.02.15 NOBLE AESTHETICS LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods of controlling fluid flow of an inhalant anesthetic to expedite patient recovery are provided such that nitrous oxide flow and oxygen flow over different durations are output to a patient mask. In one exemplary embodiment, a method performed by a controller in an inhalant anesthetic system that outputs a nitrous oxide flow and an oxygen flow over different durations for output to a patient mask comprises sending, to a nitrous oxide flow control mechanism, an indication to enable the nitrous oxide flow for a first predetermined duration that corresponds to a certain amount of nitrous oxide. Further, the method includes sending, by the controller, to the oxygen flow control mechanism, an indication to enable the oxygen flow for a second predetermined duration that corresponds to a certain amount of oxygen.