Blood Pump Sensor Shield for Tortuous Vascular Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blood pump assemblies face damage during insertion due to torturous and calcified anatomy, necessitating precise operation and monitoring while minimizing component damage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a sensor shield with passive and active protective mechanisms, including a barrier bump, sensor visor, and blood aperture, to protect the sensor membrane from physical damage and chemical reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sensor membrane is made thin and sensitive to detect blood parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but the sensor becomes more vulnerable to physical damage during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The protective structure is divided into multiple functional segments: a barrier bump that provides initial mechanical protection and deflects obstacles, a sensor visor that extends to shield the sensor membrane from direct contact with calcified anatomy, and a cap that covers the visor notch. This segmented approach allows each component to perform a specific protective function while maintaining overall sensor sensitivity for blood parameter detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier bump and sensor visor are positioned beforehand to create a protective buffer zone in front of the sensor membrane. This pre-positioned protective structure deflects calcified anatomy and tortuous vascular obstacles before they can reach the sensitive membrane, cushioning the sensor against physical damage during the insertion process through challenging vascular pathways.
2Reliability
If the sensor is protected by a shield structure, then reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier bump and sensor visor structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical protection against physical damage, deflects calcified anatomy and vascular obstacles, and maintains a streamlined profile for navigation through tortuous pathways. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate protective components, thereby managing device complexity while enhancing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective structure utilizes thin-film and shell-like components that provide adequate protection without excessive bulk. The sensor visor and barrier bump are designed with minimal thickness necessary to deflect obstacles, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining protective functionality. The cap covers the visor notch to complete the protective enclosure with minimal additional complexity.
3Measurement precision
If the sensor membrane is exposed to blood for accurate measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but the sensor is susceptible to chemical reactions and clotting
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier bump and sensor visor act as intermediary structures between the blood environment and the sensor membrane. These protective elements allow blood parameters to be measured accurately while preventing direct, prolonged contact between blood components and the sensor membrane, thereby reducing susceptibility to chemical reactions and clotting. The cap covering the visor notch provides additional intermediary protection.
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
Enables the blood pump assembly to traverse challenging vascular anatomy while maintaining sensor functionality and accuracy by deflecting obstacles and preventing clotting.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor includes a sensor membrane configured to deflect in response to a change in a blood parameter
Implementation Method 2
The shield includes a barrier bump positioned distal relative to the sensor membrane... a sensor visor to protect the sensor from physical damage, the sensor visor extending in a distal direction beyond the sensor membrane
Implementation Method 3
The shield includes a blood aperture extending through the blood pump housing component and positioned distal relative to the sensor membrane for washing the sensor membrane with blood
Data Source
AI summary
A blood pump assembly can include various components such as a housing and a sensor configured to detect one or more characteristics of the blood. In some embodiments, the sensor can be coupled to the housing and can include a sensor membrane configured to deflect in response to a change in a blood parameter (e.g., pressure). The blood pump assembly can include a shield that covers at least a portion of the sensor membrane so as to protect the sensor from damage when the blood pump assembly is inserted through an introducer and navigated through the patient's vasculature and/or when the blood pump assembly is inserted into the heart in a surgical procedure. One or more protective layers can be deposited over the sensor membrane to prevent the sensor membrane from being dissolved through interactions with the patient's blood.