Blood Pump Medication Delivery via Pressure Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Dialysis patients require precise administration of liquid medications during extracorporeal blood treatments, and existing systems lack efficient methods for monitoring and controlling medication delivery, leading to potential overdoses and administrative challenges.

Innovation Solution

A blood treatment device with a pump, control device, and pressure sensors that connect a medication container to an extracorporeal circuit, allowing for real-time monitoring and calculation of medication volume and time required for administration, using check valves and pressure differences to manage medication flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a separate medication pump is added to the extracorporeal blood treatment device, then the precision of medication delivery is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedication delivery precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The existing blood pump in the extracorporeal circuit is made to perform dual functions: pumping blood and delivering medication. The pump can switch between blood pumping mode and medication delivery mode, eliminating the need for a separate medication pump while maintaining precise delivery capability through the same pumping mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The medication delivery system is merged with the existing blood pump and control system. The control device manages both blood flow and medication delivery parameters, integrating multiple functions into a single coordinated system rather than using separate dedicated components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If manual medication administration is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the risk of human error and administrative burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidadministration reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Pressure sensors provide real-time feedback on medication delivery status, and the control device monitors and adjusts delivery parameters automatically. This closed-loop control ensures accurate medication administration without manual intervention, eliminating human error while maintaining system simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-monitoring and self-regulation of medication delivery. The control device automatically manages the pumping parameters, pressure monitoring, and delivery timing without requiring manual operation, making the system reliable while keeping the physical structure simple

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If pressure sensors are added to monitor medication delivery, then the measurement precision of medication volume is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedication volume measurementVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Pressure sensors already present in the extracorporeal circuit for blood pressure monitoring are made to serve dual purposes: monitoring blood pressure and measuring medication delivery volume. The same pressure signals are used for both functions, eliminating the need for separate measurement sensors

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The medication volume measurement function is merged with the existing pressure monitoring system. The control device processes pressure signals to calculate both blood pressure parameters and medication delivery volume, combining multiple measurement functions into a single integrated system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Ensures accurate and reliable administration of medications without the need for additional pumps, reducing human error and administrative burden, while maintaining low complexity and cost.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure sensor for determining the pressure in the first or second section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure measurement:

Implementation Method 2

The inlet line is connected in fluid communication to a first section of the extracorporeal circuit. The outlet line is connected in fluid communication to a second section of the extracorporeal circuit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3386560B1Blood treatment device for determining a parameter of a fluid medicine during an extracorporeal blood treatment
Publication Date: 2023.04.05 FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP3386560B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3386560B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3386560B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for determining a parameter of a supply of a fluid medicine into a line of an extracorporeal circuit (2000), which is connected to a blood treatment device (3000) for the purpose of a blood treatment of a patient, comprising the step of providing a blood treatment device (3000) having a pump, for example a blood pump (4000), connected to an extracorporeal circuit (2000), wherein the extracorporeal circuit (2000) at least has a medicine container (31) with a fluid medicine, a connection device (27) for connecting the medicine container (31) to the extracorporeal circuit (2000), wherein the connection device (27) has an inlet line (27e) and and outlet line (27a) for respectively connecting an inside of the medicine container (31) to the inside of the line of the extracorporeal circuit (2000), wherein the inlet line (27e) is fluidically connected to a first section of the extracorporeal circuit (2000), and wherein the outlet line (27a) is fluidically connected to a second section of the extracorporeal circuit (2000), said method also comprising the step of determining the parameter which is an amount or a volume of an already applied medicine, or a required remaining time until the complete administration of a predetermined amount or a predetermined volume of the medicine. The invention also relates to a corresponding device.