Blood Processing Cassette With Targeted UV Pathogen Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for bloodstream infections caused by pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli and Candida auris, are often ineffective, leading to severe conditions like sepsis and potentially fatal outcomes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that identifies and neutralizes pathogenic cells in the bloodstream using ultraviolet light, targeting specific locations to minimize damage to surrounding blood cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antibiotics are applied to treat bloodstream infections, then pathogenic bacteria should be killed, but the treatment is not successful for many patients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical treatment (antibiotics) with a physical treatment method using ultraviolet light to neutralize pathogenic cells. The system uses an imaging device to locate pathogen cells and then applies UV light at those specific locations, substituting the chemical-biological mechanism of antibiotics with a direct physical neutralization approach that has proven successful for many patients who did not respond to antibiotic therapy
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the patient's own blood circulation system to deliver the treated blood back to the body. The blood is withdrawn, treated externally with UV light neutralization, and then returned to the patient through their existing circulatory system, utilizing the body's natural functions rather than requiring separate administration mechanisms
2Reliability
If ultraviolet light is applied to neutralize pathogen cells, then pathogenic cells are destroyed, but surrounding blood cells may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies ultraviolet light only at specific locations where pathogen cells are detected, rather than treating the entire blood volume uniformly. The imaging device identifies the precise position of pathogenic cells, and UV light is delivered only to those localized areas, ensuring that surrounding healthy blood cells are not exposed to harmful radiation
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device serves as an intermediary between the UV light source and the blood cells. It first identifies and locates pathogen cells, then guides the UV light application to those specific locations. This intermediary step ensures that UV energy is delivered only where needed, preventing collateral damage to healthy cells
3Reliability
If the entire blood volume is treated with ultraviolet light, then all pathogen cells can be neutralized, but the treatment time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the harmful pathogen cells from the blood volume by imaging and locating them specifically. Rather than treating all blood cells uniformly, the imaging device identifies and isolates the pathogenic cells through image analysis, allowing targeted UV neutralization of only the harmful portion of the blood sample
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device performs preliminary identification and location of pathogen cells before UV light application. By pre-locating the targets through imaging and analyzing blood cell images to identify pathogen cells, the system prepares a map of where UV treatment is needed, eliminating the need for broad-spectrum or trial-and-error treatment approaches
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
Reduces the count of viable pathogenic cells in the bloodstream, potentially mitigating the harmful effects of infections and preventing conditions like sepsis.
Implementation Method 1
neutralized by the application of ultraviolet light energy to the specific locations for the identified and located pathogen cells
Data Source
AI summary
An operational unit for locating and neutralizing pathogen cells in blood includes a cassette which has a plurality of thin holding chambers that are filled with blood drawn from a patient. A light source illuminates the holding chambers and passes light to an underlying sensor array such that the cells in the blood selectively block the light to produce shadow images of the cells. A processor performs pattern recognition to locate the pathogen cells by use of an image library. After the pathogen cells are located, a source of ultraviolet light is activated and UV light is passed through selectively controlled shutters to illuminate only the limited areas that have the identified pathogen cells. Sufficient ultraviolet light energy is applied to destroy the identified cells. A pump refills the cassette holding chambers, returns the neutralized-pathogen blood to the patient, and the process is repeated.