Therapeutic Apheresis System Using Pulsatile Flow and Arterial Plasma Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional therapeutic apheresis methods fail to effectively change the concentration and migration of immune factors in the body, leading to only symptomatic relief without treating underlying immunological disease processes.

Innovation Solution

A novel therapeutic apheresis system that uses pulsatile flow and central arterial plasma exchange to modulate immune systems, combining intermittent and continuous flow concepts with cardiovascular principles, allowing for more efficient removal and regulation of immune factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional therapeutic apheresis is performed using peripheral venous catheter lines to exchange plasma, then the procedure can be performed with simple equipment and access, but it fails to effectively change the concentration and migration of immune factors in the body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of procedure implementationVSAvoideffectiveness in treating underlying immunological disease

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the traditional approach by using arterial blood infusion instead of venous blood removal. The arterial line delivers modified blood products directly to the systemic circulation, allowing immune factors to be introduced into the body rather than merely removed, thereby fundamentally changing the therapeutic mechanism from symptomatic relief to treating underlying disease processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes key parameters of the apheresis procedure by using arterial access instead of venous access, infusing modified blood products with altered immune factor concentrations, and controlling the rate and timing of infusion to optimize immunomodulation effects on secondary lymphoid tissues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If multiple therapeutic apheresis sessions are performed over years, then symptomatic disease can be repressed, but the underlying immune disease process remains untreated and treatment duration is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesymptomatic disease controlVSAvoidtreatment duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by modifying blood products before infusion to contain specific immune factors at optimized concentrations. This pre-preparation allows the treatment to directly address underlying disease mechanisms from the first session rather than requiring repeated sessions for symptomatic control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical repetition of apheresis sessions with a biologically active intervention that directly modifies immune system function. By infusing blood products with specific immune factor compositions, the treatment substitutes mechanical removal with biological modulation, achieving deeper therapeutic effects in fewer sessions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If only plasma components floating in the bloodstream are removed, then the procedure is simple to perform, but immune factors in the secondary lymphoid system remain unchanged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of procedureVSAvoidconcentration of immune factors in secondary lymphoid system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses modified blood products as an intermediary carrier to deliver immune factors systemically. These blood products act as a vehicle that transports immune factors from the infusion site to secondary lymphoid tissues, enabling changes in immune factor concentrations in tissues that cannot be achieved by simple plasma removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from one-dimensional plasma removal to three-dimensional immunomodulation by infusing blood products that distribute immune factors throughout the body, including penetration into secondary lymphoid tissues. This adds spatial dimensionality to the treatment, affecting immune factor concentrations in previously inaccessible compartments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12121642B2Autoimmune mechanical immunomodulation

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 AMINA SCIENCES LLC

AI summary

The present disclosure describes a novel therapeutic apheresis system and, more specifically, methods and an apparatus for performing therapeutic apheresis. The disclosed system and methods for therapeutic apheresis modulate the immune system, thereby resulting in treatment of one or more underlying immunological disease processes. In some embodiments, the disclosed system and methods return at least a portion of blood from an extracorporeal circuit to a patient in pulsatile flow, where the portion of blood that is returned is augmented. In other embodiments, the disclosed methods and apparatus use the central arterial system to exchange volumes of plasma to immunomodulate disease processes. In addition, use of the disclosed system and methods reduces the amount of time spent by patients in therapeutic apheresis sessions and decreases patients' dependence on immunological drugs that may have detrimental adverse effects.