Balloon Occlusion Flow Simulator for Selective Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical practitioners face difficulty in intuitively understanding the phenomenon of selective therapeutic agent administration due to pressure differences generated by balloon occlusion in blood vessels, limiting the widespread use of techniques like B-TACE in medical practice.
Innovation Solution
A technique simulator that replicates blood flow dynamics using a catheter, where a balloon occludes a bifurcated flow path, creating a pressure difference to simulate selective therapeutic agent administration, allowing users to experience and learn the B-TACE technique through visual observation of fluid flow patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a balloon occludes a blood vessel to generate pressure difference for selective therapeutic agent administration, then the therapeutic agent can be concentrated at the treatment target site, but it becomes difficult to intuitively understand the phenomenon and reproduce the effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a physical model that copies the essential features of blood vessels (bifurcated structure) and reproduces the pressure difference phenomenon using water flow instead of actual blood. This allows the complex physiological phenomenon to be visualized and understood while maintaining the selective administration effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water as an intermediary substance to replace blood in the simulation. Water flow through the bifurcated model vessels mediates the demonstration of pressure difference effects, making the invisible blood flow and pressure dynamics visible and understandable while preserving the selective administration mechanism.
2Reliability
If a balloon occludes a blood vessel to generate pressure difference, then local blood flow concentration occurs, but the phenomenon is difficult to observe and learn in medical practice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses colored water to flow through the transparent or semi-transparent model vessels, making the pressure difference phenomenon and selective flow concentration visually observable. The color change allows easy detection of flow patterns and concentration effects that would be invisible in actual blood vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a scaled-up physical model that copies the bifurcated blood vessel structure, allowing the microscopic or hidden physiological phenomenon to be observed at a visible scale. The model reproduces the essential flow dynamics while making them detectable and measurable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional treatment methods are used, then therapeutic agents are administered systemically, but selective administration to specific regions cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a bifurcated model that segments the flow path into multiple branches, demonstrating how occlusion at different segments can redirect flow to specific regions. This segmentation principle shows how selective administration to different target regions can be achieved through localized occlusion actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a balloon occlusion device as an intermediary tool that can be positioned at different locations in the model vessels to create localized pressure differences. This mediator enables flexible adaptation to different treatment scenarios while maintaining the selective administration capability.
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
Enables users to understand and practice the selective administration of therapeutic agents to specific regions by mimicking the pressure differences caused by balloon occlusion, enhancing training and knowledge of B-TACE techniques.
Implementation Method 1
the flow path at the upstream side from the bifurcated portion is occluded with the balloon catheter to generate a flow of the liquid that moves from one of the first bifurcated flow path and the second bifurcated flow path to the other thereof, due to a pressure difference
Implementation Method 2
the simulated therapeutic agent flows along with the flow of the liquid generated due to the pressure difference
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a technique simulator with which it is possible to experience that a therapeutic agent can be selectively administered to a specific region due to a pressure difference that is generated by occluding a blood vessel with a balloon. A technique simulator (10A) is provided with a flow path (12) including a liquid (L) that imitates blood, a liquid flow generation member that adds a flow to the liquid (L), and a catheter insertion port (14). The flow path (12) comprises a first bifurcated flow path (24) and a second bifurcated flow path (26) downstream of a bifurcated portion (22). The technique simulator (10A) is further provided with a pressure difference generation member that configure to cause a pressure difference to generate between a downstream side of the first bifurcated flow path (24) and a downstream side of the second bifurcated flow path (26) . The liquid flow generation member configure to generate a pressure higher than pressures to be applied to the downstream side of the first bifurcated flow path (24) and the downstream side of the second bifurcated flow path (26).