Blood Flow Control Apparatus Using pH Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for central nervous system (CNS) injuries and cardiac conditions are limited in effectively preventing secondary damage and improving outcomes.
Innovation Solution
The development of an apparatus and method for controlling blood flow and blood pressure, particularly in the CNS or cardiac regions, using feedback control systems that adjust pH levels by managing carbonic anhydrase levels and inspired gas composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current treatment approaches are used for CNS injuries and cardiac conditions, then treatment simplicity is maintained, but effectiveness in preventing secondary damage is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback control system that continuously monitors blood flow or blood pressure and adjusts pH-modifying agent delivery accordingly. The controller receives feedback from sensors measuring hemodynamic parameters and automatically adjusts the dosage of pH-modifying agents to maintain optimal blood flow or pressure levels, thereby improving treatment effectiveness while managing system complexity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pH parameter of the blood by administering pH-modifying agents (such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors or respiratory pH adjustment) to alter vascular tone and improve blood flow. By controlling pH as a key parameter, the system achieves better hemodynamic outcomes in patients with CNS injuries or cardiac conditions, addressing the effectiveness limitation of current treatments.
2Stability of the object's composition
If pH-modifying agents are administered to control blood flow, then blood flow stabilization is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors blood flow or blood pressure parameters and uses this feedback to automatically adjust pH-modifying agent delivery. This closed-loop approach stabilizes blood flow by dynamically compensating for physiological variations, while the automation reduces the burden on operators and manages the inherent complexity of the control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to autonomously regulate pH-modifying agent administration based on real-time hemodynamic measurements. The controller automatically determines the appropriate dosage and timing of pH adjustments without requiring continuous manual intervention, allowing the system to self-manage the complexity of maintaining stable blood flow.
3Manufacturing precision
If carbonic anhydrase levels are controlled to adjust pH, then blood flow control precision is improved, but measurement and control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pH as an intermediary parameter to indirectly control and measure carbonic anhydrase activity. Instead of directly measuring carbonic anhydrase levels, the system monitors pH changes in the blood, which reflect carbonic anhydrase function. This intermediary approach allows precise control of blood flow through pH adjustment while avoiding the technical challenges of direct carbonic anhydrase measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical or chemical measurement of carbonic anhydrase with pH sensing and respiratory control mechanisms. By using pH electrodes and respiratory pH adjustment (through controlled ventilation), the system achieves precise control of carbonic anhydrase-related pH levels without requiring complex direct measurement of the enzyme itself.
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 helps stabilize blood flow and pressure, potentially reducing secondary damage and improving outcomes for patients with CNS injuries and cardiac conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a pH-adjusting actuator 12 (which may include, for example, a gas source and/or a gas mixer for adjusting the blood pH in patient P using carbon dioxide and/or a drug delivery system for adjusting the blood pH in patient P using a drug)
Implementation Method 2
one or more sensors 16 to monitor physiological characteristics of patient P (which may include, for example, a sensor to monitor blood flow or a sensor to monitor blood pressure)
Implementation Method 3
controller 15 providing closed loop control of a characteristic of interest to control the characteristic of interest to be at or around a desired level or within a desired range
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and methods are provided that operate to stabilize blood flow at the site of an injury in a patient, particularly in tissues of the central nervous system. Such an apparatus and methods may mitigate the severity of an injury by optimizing blood flow and reducing secondary damage, leading to improved neurological recovery. A closed-loop system may control one or more parameters at the site of injury by regulating circulating carbon dioxide levels or carbon dioxide and oxygen and/or pH. An example embodiment includes a controller that controls a gas mixer to vary the CO2 concentration in a gas supplied for breathing by a patient in response to an output signal from a sensor that monitors one or more desired outcomes. Example applications of the present technology include treating spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and cardiac condition or event.