Cannula Flow Isolation for Contamination-Free Fluid Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for delivering fluids to patients risk contamination from dermally residing microbes and other external contaminants, leading to serious infections, false positive blood culture tests, and unnecessary medical treatments.
Innovation Solution
A fluid transfer device comprising a cannula assembly, housing, fluid reservoir, and flow control mechanism that isolates a predetermined volume of bodily fluid from the patient, allowing subsequent delivery of parenteral fluids free from dermally residing microbes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fluid communicator (catheter, cannula, needle) is used to penetrate and enter a vein for delivering parenteral fluids, then fluid delivery to the patient is enabled, but dislodged skin fragments and dermally residing microbes are introduced into the bloodstream causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the fluid path into separate segments: a first fluid path for withdrawing and isolating skin contaminants, and a second fluid path for delivering sterile parenteral fluids. This segmentation prevents contamination by physically separating the contaminant collection function from the fluid delivery function.
Solution Approach 2:
The device extracts and removes skin fragments and dermally residing microbes from the fluid path before parenteral fluids are delivered. A fluid reservoir collects and isolates the withdrawn skin contaminants, preventing them from being introduced into the patient's bloodstream.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If skin surface antisepsis is performed before venipuncture, then microbial growth is reduced, but skin fragments including hair and sweat gland structures are still dislodged and can cause septicemia
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary action by withdrawing and isolating skin contaminants in a fluid reservoir before the delivery of parenteral fluids. This preliminary contamination collection prevents skin fragments from being introduced into the patient's bloodstream during subsequent fluid delivery.
3Measurement precision
If the initial portion of venipuncture blood is diverted to exclude skin fragments, then false positive blood culture tests are prevented, but additional time and complexity are required in the procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The device merges the contaminant exclusion function with the fluid delivery system by integrating a fluid reservoir and flow control mechanism into the catheter assembly. This combination eliminates the need for separate divert procedures while maintaining test accuracy through integrated contaminant isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a cannula assembly, a housing, a fluid reservoir, a flow control mechanism, and an actuator. The housing includes an inlet port removably coupled to the cannula assembly and defines an inner volume. The fluid reservoir is fluidically coupled to the housing and configured to receive and isolate a volume of bodily fluid from a patient. The flow control mechanism is at least partially disposed in the inner volume. The actuator is operably coupled to the flow control mechanism and is configured to move the flow control mechanism between a first configuration, in which bodily fluid can flow, via a fluid flow path defined by the flow control mechanism, from the cannula assembly, through the inlet port and into the fluid reservoir, to a second configuration, in which the fluid reservoir is fluidically isolated from the cannula assembly.