Implantable Blood Pump Pressure Sensor Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ventricular assist devices (VADs) face challenges with pressure sensor placement, including tissue overgrowth, mechanical instability, and measurement inaccuracies due to the location of pressure sensors within the ventricle or fluid conduits, which complicates surgical implantation and affects accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The implantable blood pump assembly incorporates pressure sensors located within a housing adjacent to a localized region of high velocity blood flow, minimizing tissue overgrowth and mechanical stress, and directly connects these sensors to an on-board controller for power and signal transmission, simplifying the implant procedure and improving measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure sensors are located within the ventricle or fluid conduit, then pressure monitoring function is achieved, but tissue overgrowth causes sensor drift and measurement inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is extracted from the ventricle or fluid conduit environment and relocated to the pump housing where it contacts blood flow directly. This removes the sensor from the harmful biological environment that causes tissue overgrowth, while maintaining its pressure measurement function through direct blood flow contact at the inlet conduit downstream end.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet conduit with reduced cross-sectional area acts as an intermediary that creates a localized high velocity blood flow region. This flow pattern serves as a mediator to prevent tissue overgrowth on the pressure sensor by maintaining continuous blood flow contact, thereby protecting sensor accuracy without requiring the sensor to be implanted in the ventricle.
2Measurement precision
If pressure sensors are located within the ventricle or fluid conduit, then pressure monitoring is enabled, but mechanical instability causes positional drift and measurement inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is merged with the pump housing structure, becoming an integrated component rather than a separate implantable element. This combination provides mechanical stability and fixed positioning, eliminating positional drift while maintaining pressure measurement capability through the sensor's location adjacent to the inlet conduit downstream end.
3Ease of operation
If separate power lines and communication pathways are run between pressure sensor and VAD, then pressure feedback function is achieved, but surgical complexity and implant burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is merged with the pump housing and its signal processing capabilities are integrated into the VAD control system. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate power lines and communication pathways, as the sensor can utilize the pump's existing power and control infrastructure, thereby simplifying the implant procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The VAD control system is designed to perform multiple functions including both pump control and pressure sensor signal processing. This multi-functionality allows the same control system to handle both the motor control for blood pumping and the data acquisition from the pressure sensor, eliminating the need for dedicated communication pathways.
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 configuration reduces positional drift and mechanical stress on pressure sensors, enhances measurement accuracy, and simplifies the implant process by eliminating the need for separate power and communication lines, leading to more reliable and precise blood pressure monitoring and control of the VAD.
Implementation Method 1
a downstream end that has a reduced cross-sectional area that produces a localized region of high velocity blood flow
Implementation Method 2
at least one pressure sensor positioned between the inlet and the outlet and configured to detect a pressure of blood flowing through the flow path. The pressure sensor is located adjacent the downstream end of the inlet conduit.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein is an implantable blood pump assembly that includes a housing defining an inlet, an outlet, a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and an internal compartment separated from the flow path. The blood pump assembly further includes a rotor positioned within the flow path and operable to pump blood from the inlet to the outlet, a stator positioned within the internal compartment and operable to drive the rotor, and an inlet conduit connected to the housing inlet and having a downstream end that has a reduced cross-sectional area that produces a localized region of high velocity blood flow. The blood pump assembly further includes at least one pressure sensor positioned between the inlet and the outlet and configured to detect a pressure of blood flowing through the flow path. The pressure sensor is located adjacent the downstream end of the inlet conduit.