Central Venous Catheter Reverse Flush Port Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for de-clotting central venous catheters often result in unwanted medicinal fluid boluses being administered to patients, potentially leading to overdose or adverse effects, as de-clotting agents are forced into the catheter, causing additional fluid to be pushed into the body.

Innovation Solution

A catheter system with a clamp or valve external to the body and a secondary port allows for backflushing of the external portion to remove existing medicinal fluids, enabling the introduction of de-clotting agents without forcing additional fluid into the patient, thereby preventing unwanted medication administration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If de-clotting agents are forced into the catheter using fluid pressure, then clots are dissolved effectively, but medicinal fluids are forced into the patient's body causing potential overdose

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclot dissolution effectivenessVSAvoidunwanted medication bolus to patient

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter is divided into two distinct segments: an intravenous portion inserted in the patient's body and an external portion outside the body. This segmentation allows separate handling and flushing of each portion, enabling clot dissolution in the intravenous portion without forcing medication into the patient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A clamp or valve is introduced as an intermediary device between the intravenous and external portions of the catheter. This intermediary allows controlled isolation of the intravenous portion, enabling safe introduction of de-clotting agents into the external portion without risking medication bolus to the patient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a clamp or valve is added to the catheter system to control fluid flow, then unwanted medication administration is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedication overdose preventionVSAvoidcatheter system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp or valve serves multiple functions: it isolates the intravenous portion during de-clotting operations, controls fluid flow direction, and can be integrated into existing catheter designs. This multi-functionality justifies the added component by providing several safety and operational benefits from a single element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of trying to prevent medication bolus through complex control mechanisms at the patient interface, the invention inverts the approach by using a simple clamp or valve at the external portion to control fluid flow before it can reach the patient. This simpler mechanism achieves the same safety goal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the external portion of the catheter is flushed separately, then de-clotting agents can be introduced without forcing fluid into the patient, but additional time is required for the de-clotting process

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid influx to patientVSAvoidde-clotting procedure duration

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The external portion of the catheter is flushed and prepared with de-clotting agents before the actual de-clotting process begins in the intravenous portion. This preliminary action ensures that the external portion is clear of medication, allowing safe introduction of de-clotting agents without risking patient exposure, while the clamp is already in place to prevent fluid influx.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 effectively dissolves clots within the catheter without causing unintended medicinal fluid influx into the patient, reducing the risk of overdose and ensuring controlled delivery of medications.

Implementation Method 1

the de-clotting agent is allowed to mix with and diffuse into any fluids in the catheter and to dissolve the clots or occlusions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS10099009B1Central venous catheter with reverse flush port

Publication Date: 2018.10.16 ANDERSON JUDITH L

AI summary

A catheter having a secondary port that enables flushing a fluid from a portion of the catheter. The secondary port is disposed along the length of the catheter tube so as to be near an entry point of the catheter into a patient's body. A clamp is disposed adjacent to the secondary port on a side proximate to the patient's body. The secondary port and clamp enable flushing of a fluid from a portion of the catheter that is external to the patient's body and disposal of a clot- or obstruction-dissolving agent into the external portion of the catheter. Upon removal of the clot or obstruction, the secondary port and clamp enable removal of the dissolving agent and replenishing the fluid in the external portion of the catheter to resume provision of the fluid to the patient.