Biomimetic Ventilator Flow Control Using Multi-Tube Airway

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ventilatory modes for patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) often result in ventilator-induced lung injuries such as barotrauma, volutrauma, and atelectrauma, and fail to maintain adequate CO2 elimination, leading to high mortality rates and chronic lung damage.

Innovation Solution

A biomimetic flow-based ventilation mode using a multi-tube airway system that provides continuous inspiratory flow with periodic concurrent expiratory flows, set by lung pressure points, to avoid these injuries and ensure homogeneous gas distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional ARDSnet style ventilation is used, then CO2 elimination is maintained, but ventilator-induced lung injuries (barotrauma, volutrauma, atelectrauma) occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveventilator-induced lung injuriesVSAvoidCO2 elimination

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the airway into multiple separate tubes (inspiratory tube, expiratory tube, and alveolar access tube) instead of using a single airway. This segmentation allows independent control of gas delivery and removal pathways, enabling continuous low-flow inspiration while maintaining adequate CO2 elimination through the dedicated expiratory pathway, thus avoiding ventilator-induced lung injuries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a multi-tube airway system as an intermediary between the ventilator and the lung parenchyma. This intermediary structure enables gentle, distributed gas delivery to multiple lung regions simultaneously, preventing the high peak pressures and volumes that cause barotrauma and volutrauma while maintaining effective ventilation and CO2 elimination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If aggressive ventilation therapy (HFOV, APRV) is applied, then oxygenation is improved, but negative sequelae and lung damage occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelung damageVSAvoidoxygenation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent fundamentally changes the ventilation parameters from high-frequency, high-pressure, high-volume modes to continuous low-flow, low-pressure, distributed delivery. By using multiple tubes to deliver gas continuously at low flow rates to different lung regions, the system maintains adequate oxygenation without the harmful high pressures and volumes that cause lung damage in traditional aggressive ventilation modes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If high pressure is used to inflate collapsed lungs, then lung recruitment is achieved, but barotrauma and volutrauma occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebarotrauma and volutraumaVSAvoidlung recruitment

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the lung into multiple accessible regions via separate tubes, allowing distributed gas delivery at low pressures to multiple alveolar regions simultaneously. This approach achieves lung recruitment through numerous low-pressure entry points rather than a single high-pressure delivery, preventing barotrauma and volutrauma while maintaining stable lung inflation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional single-tube airway is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but homogeneous gas distribution is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehomogeneous gas distributionVSAvoidairway structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional single-tube airway with a multi-tube system where each tube can be positioned to access different lung regions. This segmentation enables homogeneous gas distribution by delivering ventilation to multiple areas simultaneously through separate pathways, overcoming the limitation of single-tube approaches while maintaining manageable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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

This approach minimizes barotrauma, volutrauma, and atelectrauma while maintaining lung recruitment and optimal CO2 elimination, reducing the risk of hypercapnic acidosis and promoting homogeneous gas distribution throughout the lungs.

Implementation Method 1

continuous inspiratory flow along with periodic concurrent expiratory flows. Both flows are compliance dependent and pressure responsive

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11833304B2Patient ventilator control using constant flow and breathing triggers

Publication Date: 2023.12.05 LEVERED IMPACT LLC

AI summary

The embodied invention is a new inspiration/expiration ventilator flow design, with a constant inspiration flow and intermittent-concurrent expiratory flow based on lung pressure setpoints. This mode is possible by using a new dual lumen tube inserted into a patient Trachea. Additionally, the control provides support for patient initiated breathing which is initiated by a lung pressure drop. This control provides continuous and gentle recruitment of lung alveoli.