Blood Treatment Machine Blood Pressure Notification System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current blood treatment machines lack effective notification systems for upcoming blood pressure measurements, leading to potential patient complications and operator fatigue due to frequent alarms, and do not provide timely alerts for monitoring blood pressure changes during treatment.

Innovation Solution

A blood treatment system that includes a receiver, user interface, and controller to generate notifications for upcoming blood pressure measurements, using visual, auditory, or vibrational alerts, and allows connection to a second interface for remote notification, ensuring operators are informed before measurements, thereby reducing alarm fatigue and improving patient monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the blood treatment machine automatically monitors blood pressure during treatment, then patient safety is improved, but operator fatigue increases due to frequent alarms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient safetyVSAvoidoperator fatigue
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by notifying the operator in advance of an upcoming blood pressure measurement before it occurs. This allows the operator to prepare and be present for the measurement, rather than being surprised by frequent alarms during treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the blood treatment machine notifies the operator of upcoming blood pressure measurements, then timely patient monitoring is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetimely patient monitoringVSAvoidnotification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller is configured to generate a notification in advance of the blood pressure measurement, allowing the operator to prepare and be present for the measurement, rather than being surprised by frequent alarms during treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system acts as an intermediary between the automatic monitoring function and the operator. It bridges the gap by providing advance warning, allowing the operator to be informed without requiring constant manual intervention or complex real-time alert systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If the blood pressure monitoring device sends signals to the blood treatment machine, then measurement accuracy is improved, but information loss occurs without timely notification

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblood pressure measurement accuracyVSAvoidoperator awareness of measurement timing
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by sending signals from the blood pressure monitoring device to the blood treatment machine controller, which then generates notifications. This closed-loop feedback ensures the operator is informed of measurement timing while maintaining measurement precision through proper signal transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3773785B1Blood treatment machine with blood pressure measurement notification
Publication Date: 2022.12.07 FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS INC
  • EP3773785B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3773785B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3773785B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system for blood treatment that includes a blood treatment machine. The blood treatment machine includes a receiver, a user interface configured to display information related to the blood pressure data received by the receiver, and a controller. The controller is configured to generate a notification to notify a user of an upcoming blood pressure measurement before the blood pressure measurement occurs. The blood treatment machine also includes a blood pressure monitoring device connected to the blood treatment machine. The blood pressure monitoring device is configured to send signals containing blood pressure information to the receiver of the blood treatment machine.