Bioartificial Liver Device with Segmented Membrane Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bioartificial liver devices have limitations such as small capacity, small cell load, and clogging issues with hollow fiber bioreactors, which restrict effective substance exchange and treatment efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A bioartificial liver device design featuring a housing with semi-permeable membranes, hollow fiber filaments, and a perfusion system that includes a plasma-separation chamber and bioreaction chamber, with gradually decreasing pore diameters and a pressure detection system to prevent clogging, ensuring uniform plasma flow and high cell loading capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If hollow fiber bioreactors are used, then the device structure is compact, but the capacity and cell load are small
Solution Approach 1:
The bioreactor is divided into multiple chambers (plasma separation chamber and bioreaction chamber) separated by semi-permeable membranes, allowing independent optimization of each section and enabling higher cell loading in the bioreaction chamber without increasing overall device volume
Solution Approach 2:
Hollow fiber filaments are nested within the bioreaction chamber, creating a compact structure where cells are loaded around the fibers, maximizing cell density and surface area for substance exchange within a small volume
2Device complexity
If hollow fiber bioreactors are used, then the device structure is simple, but clogging occurs during cell growth and metabolism
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates plasma filtration and cell culture functions into distinct chambers, preventing cell debris and metabolic products from clogging the plasma separation membranes while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the device have different pore sizes - the plasma separation chamber uses smaller pore membranes for filtration, while the bioreaction chamber has larger spaces to accommodate cell growth and prevent clogging
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional bioreactors are used, then the device is easy to manufacture, but the substance exchange area between blood plasma and liver cells is small
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from single-chamber to multi-chamber architecture with semi-permeable membranes creating additional surfaces for substance exchange, dramatically increasing the effective exchange area without complicating manufacturing processes
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 design enhances cell loading capacity, substance exchange efficiency, and prevents clogging, maintaining stable and uniform plasma flow, thereby improving treatment outcomes and reducing the risk of cell or macromolecular substances entering the body.
Implementation Method 1
a first semi-permeable membrane that is disposed within the chamber and divides the chamber into a plasma-separation chamber and a bioreaction chamber
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of second semi-permeable membranes disposed in the bioreaction chamber
Implementation Method 3
the patient's blood, can exchange substances with the cultured live cells
Implementation Method 4
efficient, stable and uniform in substance exchange
Data Source
AI summary
A bioartificial liver device including a bioreaction chamber having a plurality of semi-permeable membranes and a plurality of filter spaces each confined by two adjacent semi-permeable membranes; a plurality of liver cell perfusion ports each communicating with one of the filter spaces for introducing the liver cells into the filter spaces, and a positive peristaltic pump. In the device, the semi-permeable membranes are disposed substantially horizontal with respect to the ground, and the positive peristaltic pump is adapted to drive the plasma flow from the bottom wall of the device to the top wall. The device of the invention improves the cell loading and the area for substance exchange between the blood and the liver cells.