Blood Purification Filter with Plasma Separation and Adsorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blood purification systems for extracorporeal therapies face challenges such as complexity, clogging issues, and reduced adsorption efficiency due to high linear velocities in blood perfusion, and the complexity of plasma perfusion systems, which can lead to increased waste and operational difficulties.

Innovation Solution

A filter design that integrates both plasma separation and purification within a single container body, utilizing semipermeable capillary structures and an adsorption resin to separate and purify plasma, reducing the need for multiple components and simplifying the process while maintaining effective toxin and mediator removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If blood perfusion is used to purify blood, then the system is easier to implement, but it causes platelet activation, cell activation, and resin clogging due to protein deposition or coagulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of implementationVSAvoidresin clogging and platelet activation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The blood purification system is segmented into two distinct functional modules: a plasma separation module that isolates plasma from whole blood, and a plasma perfusion module that performs adsorption purification on the separated plasma. This segmentation prevents whole blood from contacting the adsorption resin, eliminating platelet activation and resin clogging while maintaining ease of operation through modular design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The plasma separation module extracts plasma from whole blood using semipermeable membranes that allow plasma to pass through while retaining blood cells. This extraction enables the subsequent adsorption process to operate on plasma alone, avoiding the harmful effects of whole blood contact with the resin

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If plasma perfusion is used to purify blood, then adsorption efficiency is improved by maintaining lower linear velocities, but the circuit complexity increases leading to user rejection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadsorption efficiencyVSAvoidcircuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plasma separation module and plasma perfusion module are merged into a single integrated cartridge with a unified housing, common fluid pathways, and coordinated filtration elements. This integration maintains the adsorption efficiency benefits of plasma perfusion while eliminating circuit complexity, as the entire system is replaced as a single disposable unit rather than requiring complex multi-component circuits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If multiple filters are used for plasma separation and purification, then purification performance is improved, but manufacturing and operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepurification performanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple filtration functions (plasma separation and plasma purification) are merged into a single cartridge housing that contains both the semipermeable separation membranes and the adsorption resin bed. This unified design simplifies manufacturing by consolidating multiple components into one integrated structure, while maintaining high purification performance through coordinated operation of both filtration mechanisms

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

The filter simplifies blood purification, reduces waste, and enhances adsorption efficiency by allowing simultaneous plasma separation and purification, overcoming the limitations of traditional systems while maintaining ease of use and reducing the risk of clogging and platelet activation.

Implementation Method 1

a first filtering means (109) adapted to separate a stream of plasma to be purified (110) from the incoming blood stream (104)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrafiltration: Semipermeable Membrane

Implementation Method 2

Ultrafiltration can be performed by convection, under the effect of a pressure gradient through the semipermeable membrane (filtration)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient filtration: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

second filtering means (111) adapted to purify said stream of plasma to be purified (110) to obtain a purified plasma stream (108)... a filter with adsorption resin for purifying plasma

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS11534538B2Blood purifying device including plasma separation and purification filters

Publication Date: 2022.12.27 BELLCO SRL

AI summary

A filter for purifying blood (1, 100), comprising a container body (2, 102) in which there are: —an intake port (3, 103) for an incoming blood stream (4, 104), —a first discharge port (5, 105) for an outgoing blood stream (6, 106), and —a second discharge port (7, 107) for a purified plasma stream (8, 108); the container body (2, 102) comprises first filtering means (9, 109) adapted to separate a stream of plasma to be purified (10, 100) from the incoming blood stream (4, 104), and second filtering means (11, 111) adapted to purify the stream of plasma to be purified (10, 110) to obtain the purified plasma stream (8, 108).