Artificial Blood Vessel With Protuberances For Thrombosis Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Artificial blood vessels with small diameters are prone to thrombosis due to blood adhesion and coagulation, leading to occlusion, which is life-threatening and currently managed with anticoagulant drugs, as they lack an anti-thrombogenic surface similar to natural vessels.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a medical device with a wall surface featuring a succession of protuberances that modifies the laminar flow pattern to create micro-vortices, reducing the retention time of blood cells and preventing adhesion by increasing flow velocity in the marginal zone, thereby reducing the likelihood of thrombosis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a smooth wall surface is used in artificial blood vessels, then manufacturing is simple, but blood adhesion and thrombosis occur due to stagnant flow in the marginal zone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating protuberances only in the marginal zone (near the wall) rather than modifying the entire surface uniformly. This localized modification disturbs the stagnant flow layer adjacent to the wall without affecting the overall laminar flow pattern in the center of the lumen, thereby reducing thrombosis risk while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses curved surfaces by forming protuberances with rounded tops and smooth contours rather than sharp edges. This curvature prevents additional stagnation zones while effectively disrupting the boundary layer, and it also simplifies manufacturing compared to complex angular structures.
2Reliability
If turbulent flow is created to prevent blood adhesion, then thrombosis risk is reduced, but energy loss increases and flow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by creating only localized disturbances in the form of protuberances rather than inducing complete turbulence throughout the flow. This partial disruption is sufficient to prevent blood adhesion in the marginal zone while maintaining overall laminar flow and minimizing energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The protuberances create a vibration-like effect in the flow by continuously disturbing the boundary layer as blood passes over them. This mechanical disturbance prevents platelet adhesion and thrombus formation without requiring full turbulent flow conditions, thereby reducing energy consumption.
3Length of moving object
If the lumen diameter is reduced to match small arteries, then the device fits the application, but thrombosis risk increases significantly due to slower flow velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the size-related thrombosis risk by applying local modifications (protuberances) specifically in the marginal zone where flow velocity is lowest. This localized approach compensates for the overall slow flow in small-diameter vessels without requiring enlargement of the lumen, thus maintaining the appropriate size for small artery replacement.
4Reliability
If protuberances are added to the wall surface to create micro-vortices, then blood cell adhesion is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the continuous wall surface into discrete protuberance elements spaced at specific intervals. This segmentation creates the necessary micro-vortices to prevent thrombosis while keeping each individual element simple in form, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity compared to a continuously textured surface.
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 creation of micro-vortices in the marginal zone of the medical device reduces the risk of thrombosis by enhancing flow velocity and preventing blood cell adhesion, thus maintaining the lumen's patency and reducing the risk of occlusion.
Implementation Method 1
modifies the laminar flow pattern to create micro-vortices
Implementation Method 2
create micro-vortices, reducing the retention time of blood cells
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device which defines a lumen for flowing a bodily fluid from an upstream end of the device to a downstream end thereof is disclosed. The device has a luminal wall (14) that extends between the upstream and downstream ends and defines the lumen within which the fluid flows. The wall exhibits a succession of protuberances spaced from each other along the length of the device. Each protuberance has a flank facing upstream (54) and a flank facing downstream (64), the flank facing upstream extending into the fluid flow so that a radially outermost part of the flow of fluid from the upstream to the downstream end of the device impinges on the upstream flank and is thereby caused to reverse its flow, and flow upstream from the upstream flank to the downstream flank of the next adjacent protuberance upstream, creating micro-vortices between two adjacent protuberances.