Device for cooling anesthesia by chilled fluidic cooling medium
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ophthalmic medical procedures such as PRK, LASEK, and LASIK often result in prolonged pain and discomfort due to the difficulty in delivering pharmacological anesthetics to sensitive areas like the cornea, and existing anesthetics can slow down recovery and cause adverse effects.
Innovation Solution
A device that uses a chilled fluidic cooling medium, cooled to a temperature between -100° C and 15° C, is applied directly to the eye using a hand-held or wearable device with a nozzle and ultrasonic vibrator to anesthetize the cornea or sclera, minimizing mechanical stimulus and avoiding pharmacological anesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pharmacological anesthetics are used to anesthetize the cornea or sclera, then anesthesia effectiveness is improved, but recovery is slowed and adverse effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacological chemical anesthesia with a physical cooling mechanism. A cooling device delivers chilled fluid (at temperatures between -100°C and 15°C) directly to the ocular surface, using thermal energy transfer instead of chemical substances to achieve anesthesia. This substitution eliminates the adverse effects and prolonged recovery associated with pharmacological anesthetics while maintaining effective anesthesia through controlled cooling of the cornea or sclera.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of temperature to achieve anesthesia. By controlling the temperature of the cooling fluid within a specific range (-100°C to 15°C) and applying it directly to the ocular tissue, the system induces anesthesia through thermal effects rather than chemical means. This parameter-based approach allows for reversible and controllable anesthesia without the residual effects of pharmacological agents.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pharmacological anesthetics are applied to the eye, then pain relief is achieved, but mechanical stimulus is increased and adverse effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes chemical anesthesia with physical cooling to achieve pain relief. The cooling device delivers chilled fluid that reduces pain through thermal anesthesia of the ocular surface, avoiding all adverse effects associated with pharmacological anesthetics including increased mechanical stimulus and chemical toxicity.
3Reliability
If chilled fluid is applied to the eye, then anesthesia is achieved without pharmacological agents, but cooling control precision must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates temperature sensing and control mechanisms to monitor and regulate the temperature of the cooling fluid during application. This feedback system ensures that the fluid remains within the therapeutic temperature range (-100°C to 15°C), preventing both insufficient cooling and excessive cold that could cause tissue damage, thereby maintaining reliable anesthesia while ensuring precise temperature control.
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 device effectively cools and anesthetizes the ocular tissues, reducing chronic pain without the adverse effects of pharmacological anesthetics, promoting faster recovery by delivering chilled fluid as mist or liquid directly to the eye surface.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling element configured to cool the fluid from the reservoir such that it exits the nozzle at a temperature of between -100° C. and 15° C.
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic vibrator positioned near the nozzle and configured to generate mist from at least part of the fluid
Implementation Method 3
The nozzle is configured to pass the fluid from the reservoir onto a surface of the eye
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-held or wearable device for cooling tissue of an eye of a patient is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a reservoir having fluid therein and a support connected to the reservoir and configured to be positioned on a face of the patient. The device also includes a nozzle positioned proximate to the support and fluidically connected to the reservoir, the nozzle configured to pass the fluid from the reservoir onto a surface of the eye. The device further includes a cooling element configured to cool the fluid from the reservoir such that it exits the nozzle at a temperature of between −100° C. and 15° C. The device further includes an ultrasonic vibrator positioned near the nozzle and configured to generate mist from at least part of the fluid.