Blood Pump Balloon Shape Dynamics for Laminar Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cardiac assist device blood pumps face complications due to excessive arterial blockage during systole, as they fail to maintain a deflated shape that promotes laminar blood flow within the aorta.
Innovation Solution
A blood pump assembly with a balloon design that inflates to an elongated cylindrical shape and deflates to a substantially planar shape, maintaining laminar flow by minimizing occlusion and reducing turbulence, coupled with an inflation tube for fluid communication and a drive unit for cycling through inflation/deflation cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the blood pump is deflated during systole to decrease afterload, then the pump can reduce strain on the heart, but it causes excessive blockage of the aorta and disrupts laminar flow
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the balloon is rounded rather than pointed or angular, which reduces turbulence and promotes laminar flow of blood in the aorta during systole when the pump is deflated
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon is designed to change its shape parameters dynamically - maintaining a substantially planar shape with minimal cross-sectional area during systole to reduce blockage, and inflating to an elongated cylindrical shape during diastole to maximize blood flow augmentation
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the balloon maintains a deflated shape during systole to promote laminar flow, then arterial blockage is reduced, but the pump cannot effectively decrease afterload
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is designed to dynamically change its shape and volume in response to cardiac cycle phases - remaining substantially planar during systole to maintain laminar flow, and inflating to an elongated cylindrical shape during diastole to effectively augment blood flow and reduce afterload
3Productivity
If the balloon is inflated to augment blood flow during diastole, then cardiac output is improved, but the pump creates turbulence and disrupts laminar flow
Solution Approach 1:
The rounded distal end of the balloon minimizes flow separation and turbulence generation when the balloon is inflated during diastole, allowing effective blood flow augmentation while maintaining relatively smooth laminar flow patterns
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 solution effectively reduces the risk of blockage and turbulence, promoting uniform laminar flow, which decreases the propensity for clotting and reduces strain on the heart, thereby enhancing the efficacy of cardiac assist devices in treating heart failure.
Implementation Method 1
an inflation tube coupled to the opening of the proximal end of the balloon, the tube defining a fluid channel in fluid communication with the inflatable chamber
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a blood pump for use with an intravascular ventricular assist system (iVAS), as well as a method for utilizing the blood pump to treat heart failure.