Cardiac Simulation Device Pneumatic Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical training devices for cardiovascular procedures lack anatomical and physiological accuracy, leading to potential collateral damage during minimally invasive surgeries due to surgeon inexperience, especially with complex procedures.
Innovation Solution
A cardiovascular simulation system that includes anatomically accurate left cardiac and vascular models, using pneumatically pressurized chambers to replicate heart contractions and pressure gradients, with sensors and feedback loops to automatically adjust resistance valves and compliance chambers, mimicking normal and disease state cardiovascular functioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical training methods are used, then surgeons can gain experience through performing numerous procedures, but the number of available surgical procedures is limited and not every surgeon has equal opportunity to reach expert skill levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a realistic cardiovascular simulation system that copies actual human heart anatomy and physiology, allowing surgeons to practice procedures on lifelike models rather than requiring actual patients. The system includes anatomically accurate heart chambers, vessels, and tissues that replicate normal and diseased cardiovascular functioning, enabling unlimited repetitive practice without consuming real medical resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation system allows adjustment of various physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood pressure, and vascular resistance to create different training scenarios. This enables surgeons to practice on virtual patients with varying conditions, dramatically expanding the diversity and quantity of training opportunities beyond what is available through actual surgical cases.
2Reliability
If minimally invasive endovascular techniques are used, then surgical safety is improved, but surgeon inexperience with complex procedures can still result in collateral damage to patients
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation system enables surgeons to perform preliminary practice procedures on realistic cardiovascular models before attempting complex minimally invasive surgeries on actual patients. The anatomically accurate simulation allows surgeons to rehearse intricate endovascular techniques, anticipate complications, and refine their skills in a risk-free environment, ensuring they are adequately prepared before patient procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides self-contained training capabilities with integrated feedback mechanisms that allow surgeons to independently practice and evaluate their skills without requiring actual patients. The simulation automatically responds to surgical interventions, providing real-time feedback on technique and outcomes, enabling continuous skill development.
3Ease of manufacture
If existing surgical training devices are used, then some training capability is provided, but they lack anatomical and physiological accuracy leading to potential collateral damage
Solution Approach 1:
The simulation system incorporates locally differentiated anatomical structures with varying tissue properties throughout the cardiovascular model. Different regions of the simulated heart and vessels have distinct mechanical characteristics, compliance, and physiological behaviors that match real human anatomy, allowing surgeons to experience location-specific challenges and anatomical variations during training procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The cardiovascular simulation system uses composite materials that combine different physical properties to replicate the complex characteristics of human cardiovascular tissues. The model integrates materials with varying elasticity, viscosity, and structural properties to accurately represent heart muscle, arterial walls, valves, and blood flow dynamics, achieving high anatomical and physiological fidelity.
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 system provides a safe and effective training tool that reduces the risk of collateral damage by allowing surgeons to practice procedures on a realistic, physiologically accurate simulation before performing them on actual patients, enhancing skill development and minimizing risks associated with complex vascular surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
The cardiovascular simulator system includes a pneumatic circuit having a source of compressed air, and a control unit configured to supply pulses of pressurized air to the cardiac module
Implementation Method 2
The system utilizes the elasticity of the arteries to represent the propagation of a pulse wave throughout the vasculature
Implementation Method 3
The system further includes a feedback control mechanism that provides automatic adjustment of one or more functioning elements
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention describes a device and system for simulating normal and disease state cardiovascular functioning, including an anatomically accurate left cardiac simulator for training and medical device testing. The system and device uses pneumatically pressurized chambers to generate ventricle and atrium contractions. In conjunction with the interaction of synthetic valves which simulate mitral and aortic valves, the system is designed to generate pumping action that produces accurate volume fractions and pressure gradients of pulsatile flow, duplicating that of a human heart. Through the use of a control unit and sensors, one or more parameters such as flow rates, fluidic pressure, and heart rate may be automatically controlled, using feedback loop mechanisms to adjust parameters of the hydraulic system simulate a wide variety of cardiovascular conditions including normal heart function, severely diseased or injured heart conditions, and compressed vasculature, such as hardening of the arteries.