Hollow Fiber Membrane Blood Treatment with Specific Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blood treatment methods, such as dialysis, plasma exchange, and double filter treatments, lack biospecific separation capabilities, leading to non-specific removal of blood components and resulting in undesired side effects, while immunospecific treatments face challenges with column saturation and flow rate limitations.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing two separation steps with a solution or suspension containing a component that specifically binds to target blood components, using coarse filters and a second filter with smaller pore size to separate and recirculate plasma with reduced target substances, avoiding column saturation and side effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If immunospecific treatment with columns is used to achieve biospecific separation, then specific elimination of target substances is improved, but column saturation and flow rate limitations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous hollow fiber membranes with controlled pore sizes to enable size-based separation of plasma from blood cells. The porous structure allows plasma to pass through while retaining blood cells, achieving efficient separation without column saturation issues. This resolves the contradiction by providing biospecific separation capability through physical pore size selection rather than chemical binding columns.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical column-based immunospecific treatment system with a membrane filtration system. Instead of using columns that require chemical binding and are prone to saturation, the patent uses a mechanical membrane filtration approach where plasma is separated based on pore size, eliminating flow rate limitations and column saturation problems while maintaining separation efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If physical size-dependent plasma exchange is used to remove target substances, then separation based on molecular weight is improved, but non-specific elimination of important blood components occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using hollow fiber membranes with specifically controlled pore sizes positioned at strategic locations in the treatment system. The membrane pore size is locally optimized to allow passage of specific plasma components while retaining others, enabling selective removal of target substances without non-specific elimination of important blood components. This resolves the contradiction by making the separation property localized and specific rather than global and non-specific.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple columns with different geometry are used for different specific treatments, then adaptability to different treatments is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a single integrated hollow fiber membrane system that can perform multiple separation functions. By controlling membrane pore size and using different membrane materials, the same basic device structure can be adapted for various specific treatments targeting different substances. This resolves the contradiction by making one device perform multiple functions rather than requiring multiple specialized columns, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining treatment versatility.
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 approach allows for specific reduction or extraction of target substances while minimizing the removal of other important blood components, reducing treatment time and side effects, and enabling continuous or intermittent treatment with adjustable parameters.
Implementation Method 1
a coarse filter and a filter having a smaller pore size than the coarse filter
Implementation Method 2
a solution or a suspension containing at least one component which has the ability to specifically bind to the component or blood component to be specifically reduced
Data Source
AI summary
Extracorporeal blood treatment is performed daily on a large number of patients by use of for example a dialysis filter, plasma filter or a centrifuge. The purpose of the treatment is to separate minor components and molecules in a liquid or in the blood from larger ones, for example in connection with different disease conditions or with a view to extracting blood plasma, target substances such as blood components or molecules from for example blood donors. According to the present invention two separation steps are used together with a solution or a suspension containing at least one component, which specifically may bind to the component or the blood component to be specifically reduced, or to be refined/extracted during the treatment or during the blood treatment.