Blood Sequestration Device with Air-Permeable Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blood culture contamination leads to false positive results and increased healthcare costs due to improper skin antisepsis, vein collapse, and mechanical manipulation during blood collection, with existing methods failing to effectively reduce contamination rates.
Innovation Solution
A blood sequestration device with an air permeable blood barrier that passively collects the initial aliquot of blood using the patient's own pressure, eliminating the need for additional user steps and reducing vein collapse, while ensuring contaminant-free samples by diverting the initial aliquot away from the main blood sample pathway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional blood collection methods are used with manual manipulation, then blood samples can be collected, but contamination rates increase due to improper skin antisepsis, vein collapse, and mechanical manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The blood collection system is segmented into multiple chambers: a first chamber that receives and isolates the initial contaminated blood aliquot, and a second chamber that receives the clean blood sample. This segmentation physically separates contaminants from the diagnostic sample, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation by automating the contamination removal process.
Solution Approach 2:
A valve mechanism acts as an intermediary between the blood collection needle and the culture bottle. The valve automatically directs the initial contaminated aliquot to a waste chamber while allowing subsequent clean blood to flow to the culture bottle. This intermediary device eliminates manual manipulation errors and improves reliability without increasing operational complexity.
2Productivity
If forceful aspiration or small hypodermic needles are used to increase blood flow, then blood can be drawn faster, but red blood cells lyse and potassium is released, rendering samples abnormal
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by collecting and isolating the initial blood aliquot in a first chamber before it can cause harm. This preliminary collection of potentially contaminated or lysed blood prevents it from reaching the diagnostic sample, allowing faster blood flow rates without compromising sample integrity.
3Ease of operation
If vacuum pressure is applied to facilitate blood draw, then collection is easier, but vein collapse occurs in patients with delicate veins
Solution Approach 1:
A flow control valve serves as an intermediary between the vacuum source and the patient's vein. The valve regulates and limits the vacuum pressure applied during blood collection, preventing excessive negative pressure that would cause vein collapse in delicate patients while still facilitating adequate blood flow for collection.
4Reliability
If initial blood aliquot is discarded to remove contaminants, then false positives are reduced, but additional user steps are required and time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically collecting and isolating the initial contaminated blood aliquot in a first chamber during the blood draw process itself. This preliminary separation occurs without requiring additional user steps or time beyond the standard collection procedure, thereby improving reliability without increasing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs self-service by automatically directing and separating the initial contaminated blood from the clean blood sample through its internal chamber design and valve mechanism. This automated self-service eliminates the need for manual discarding steps performed by healthcare workers, reducing time loss while maintaining high culture result accuracy.
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 solution significantly reduces blood culture contamination and vein collapse, providing accurate samples by isolating contaminants in the initial aliquot and ensuring subsequent samples are uncontaminated, thereby minimizing false positives and healthcare costs.
Implementation Method 1
The blood sequestration device includes a vent comprising an air permeable blood barrier
Implementation Method 2
The blood sequestration device includes a one-way air valve
Data Source
AI summary
Blood sample optimization systems and methods are described that reduce or eliminate contaminates in collected blood samples, which in turn reduces or eliminates false positive readings in blood cultures or other testing of collected blood samples. A blood sample optimization system can include a blood sequestration device located between a patient needle and a sample needle. The blood sequestration device can include a sequestration chamber for sequestering an initial, potentially contaminated aliquot of blood, and may further include a sampling channel that bypasses the sequestration chamber to convey likely uncontaminated blood between the patient needle and the sample needle after the initial aliquot of blood is sequestered in the sequestration chamber.