Catheter Radial Mixer for Blood Vessel Biomarker Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheters face challenges in maneuvering sample collection areas close to blood vessel walls due to varying vessel geometries, leading to inconsistent results and inaccurate biomarker sampling.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design with an elongate central body and radially outward mixers that create a flow from the boundary layer to the central region, enabling sample collection representative of the entire cross-sectional area, improving accuracy and precision by bringing biomarkers closer to the sampling site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the catheter sample collection area is positioned close to the blood vessel wall, then biomarker sampling accuracy is improved, but the difficulty of maneuvering the catheter increases due to varying vessel geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mixer as an intermediary component that facilitates the transfer of biomarkers from the boundary layer at the vessel wall to the collection area. The mixer creates controlled flow patterns that bridge the gap between the wall proximity requirement and the central collection area location, enabling accurate sampling without requiring the collection area to be directly adjacent to the wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-point sampling approach to a multi-dimensional sampling strategy by positioning the collection area in the central region and using the mixer to aggregate biomarkers from the boundary layer. This dimensional shift allows the collection area to be located centrally while still capturing wall-proximity biomarkers through the mixer-induced flow from the boundary layer.
2Ease of operation
If the catheter is positioned in the central region of the blood vessel, then ease of maneuvering is improved, but the accuracy of sampling biomarkers from the boundary layer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mixer serves as a mediating device that connects the centrally positioned collection area with the boundary layer at the vessel wall. It creates flow pathways that transport biomarkers from the boundary layer to the central collection area, enabling the catheter to maintain a central position while still accurately sampling wall-proximity biomarkers.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixer performs a preliminary action by pre-mixing and transporting biomarkers from the boundary layer to the collection area before sampling occurs. This preliminary flow generation ensures that when the catheter is in the central region, biomarkers are already delivered to the collection area, maintaining sampling accuracy without requiring direct wall proximity.
3Measurement precision
If the longitudinal offset between the actual source of biomarkers and the sample site is reduced, then detection precision and sensitivity are improved, but the complexity of the catheter design increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mixer is a relatively simple intermediary component that addresses the longitudinal offset problem by creating controlled flow patterns. It aggregates biomarkers from the boundary layer and delivers them to the collection area, reducing the effective longitudinal offset without requiring complex active control systems or multiple sampling points.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixer utilizes the existing blood flow dynamics to create the necessary transport patterns. By leveraging the natural flow through strategically designed mixing elements, the system achieves self-service biomarker aggregation and transport without requiring external power sources, control mechanisms, or complex active components.
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 design enhances the accuracy and sensitivity of biomarker detection by reducing the longitudinal offset and ensuring consistent sampling, allowing for precise correction and improved data profiling of blood vessel conditions.
Implementation Method 1
at least one mixer provided radially outwardly of the elongate central body and arranged to create a flow of blood from a boundary layer at a wall of the blood vessel to the elongate central body
Implementation Method 2
The at least one mixer creates a flow of blood towards the collection area of the catheter so as to enable the at least one collection area to collect samples representative of fluid material present in the 360 degree radial section
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter and associated method for taking a plurality of samples from within a length of a blood vessel. The catheter includes an elongate central body arranged to be inserted into and positioned along a central region of a blood vessel. A plurality of collection areas are defined along the elongate central body for collecting samples at the central region of the blood vessel. A plurality of mixers are provided radially outwardly of the elongate central body and arranged to create a flow of blood from a boundary layer at a wall of the blood vessel to the elongate central body. This enables the collection areas to collect samples from the boundary layer.