Blood Sensor Assembly with Gel Mediator for Simultaneous Pressure and Temperature Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices fail to effectively measure blood pressure and temperature at a common point during extracorporeal perfusion, which is crucial for monitoring physiologic parameters in life-sustaining procedures like heart transplant and hemodialysis, often causing turbulence and thrombosis due to sensor placement and interaction with blood.
Innovation Solution
A sensor device assembly with a common printed circuit board housing a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor, both coupled to a gel well filled with a thermally conductive gel, allowing for simultaneous measurement of blood pressure and temperature without direct contact with blood, minimizing turbulence and thrombosis risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are placed in direct contact with blood to measure blood pressure and temperature, then measurement accuracy is improved, but turbulence and thrombosis risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
A gel layer is introduced as an intermediary substance between the blood and the sensors. The gel is in direct contact with blood and transmits both thermal energy and pressure forces to the sensors, enabling accurate measurements without the sensors themselves contacting the blood, thus eliminating turbulence and thrombosis risks while maintaining measurement precision
2Device complexity
If separate sensor placements are used for blood pressure and temperature measurement, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision at a common point deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor and pressure sensor are merged into a single integrated sensor assembly that measures both parameters at the same location in the blood. The gel layer simultaneously transmits both thermal energy to the temperature sensor and pressure forces to the pressure sensor, enabling concurrent measurement of both physiologic parameters at a common point without increasing device complexity
3Reliability
If sensors are positioned to minimize blood contact, then thrombosis risk is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gel serves as a mediator that maintains intimate contact with the blood for accurate parameter detection while keeping the sensors isolated from direct blood exposure. The gel's physical and thermal properties enable it to faithfully transmit blood temperature and pressure to the sensors without the sensors contacting the blood, thus simultaneously achieving high measurement precision and thrombosis risk reduction
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 accurate and simultaneous measurement of blood pressure and temperature at a common site, reducing turbulence and thrombosis risk, and facilitating precise control of blood parameters during extracorporeal perfusion procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The gel can be configured to transmit a pressure force from the blood to the pressure sensor such that the pressure sensor measures the blood pressure
Implementation Method 2
The gel can be thermally conductive such that the temperature sensor measures the blood temperature through interaction with the gel
Data Source
AI summary
Devices used to sense physiologic blood parameters are disclosed. The devices may be configured to sense at least two physiologic blood parameters at substantially a common site of an extracorporeal perfusion circuit. The devices may include a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may be in direct contact with the blood.