In Vivo Cochlear Sampling Device with Porous Capture Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sampling perilymph from the cochlea are prone to contamination, particularly by cerebrospinal fluid, and existing sampling protocols are cumbersome and not feasible in vivo, leading to biases in understanding pharmacokinetics and proteome analysis.
Innovation Solution
A device with a tubular sheath and a rod system, where the distal end has a beveled tip to pierce the membrane and a porous capture support made of silicon or nanoporous organosilicon material, minimizes contamination by allowing precise sampling of biological species from the cochlea without loss, using a biocompatible and low-friction design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If perilymph is sampled at the basal turn of the cochlea using aspiration, then sampling can be performed, but the sample becomes contaminated with cerebrospinal fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the perilymph sample from the cochlea through a controlled puncture at the round window, avoiding the contamination that occurs with aspiration methods. The puncture device retrieves the sample directly without creating negative pressure that would draw in cerebrospinal fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
The puncture device acts as an intermediary tool that establishes a direct pathway from the perilymphatic space to the exterior, allowing sample collection without requiring aspiration through the cochlear duct. This intermediary mechanism prevents the harmful mixing of cerebrospinal fluid with perilymph.
2Quantity of substance
If perilymph is sampled using external aspiration methods, then samples can be obtained, but they require very complex methods and are subject to contamination by cerebrospinal fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts perilymph through a simple puncture at the round window membrane, obtaining sufficient sample volume without requiring complex aspiration apparatus or multiple collection steps. The direct puncture method provides both adequate sample quantity and procedural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The puncture device is designed as a single-use, disposable instrument that eliminates the need for complex, reusable aspiration systems. This disposable approach reduces device complexity while ensuring adequate sample collection for analysis.
3Measurement precision
If aspiration is performed at the basal turn of the cochlea, then initial samples appear pure, but sampling bias occurs affecting pharmacokinetics understanding
Solution Approach 1:
The puncture device extracts perilymph directly from the round window membrane, obtaining a representative sample that reflects true perilymph composition. This extraction method avoids the sampling bias inherent in aspiration techniques, ensuring reliable pharmacokinetics data for accurate measurement precision.
4Quantity of substance
If the sampling protocol follows the method to obtain larger perilymph samples at the cochlear apex, then sample volume increases, but the protocol is very cumbersome and not feasible in practice in vivo
Solution Approach 1:
The puncture device extracts adequate perilymph samples through a simple puncture at the round window, achieving sufficient sample volume without requiring the cumbersome apex access protocol. This extraction method maintains ease of operation while providing adequate sample quantity for analysis.
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 reduces contamination and facilitates the collection of pure perilymph samples, enabling accurate analysis of proteins and metabolites, as demonstrated by MALDI analysis spectra showing enrichment of protein and peptide signals compared to traditional stainless steel surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The rod (11) comprises a support (12) for capturing said biological species, made of a porous material
Implementation Method 2
By 'porous' is meant in the present text a pore density of between 10 and 75% and a pore size of between 1 and 100 nm
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention concerns a device for in vivo sampling of biological species, comprising: - a tubular sheath (10) extending between a proximal end (10a) of said sheath and a distal end (10b) of said sheath, said distal end (10b) of the sheath having a projecting part, - a rod (11) extending between a proximal end (11a) of said rod and a distal end (11b) of said rod, capable of sliding in the sheath (10) between a retracted position in which the distal end (11b) of the rod is located inside the sheath (10) and a deployed position in which the distal end (11b) of the rod extends beyond the distal end (10b) of the sheath, said rod (11) comprising a capturing support (12) for capturing said biological species, made from a porous material, arranged in a distal region of the rod on a portion of the circumference of the rod (11) such that the capturing support (12) is located outside the sheath (10) when the rod (11) is in the deployed position of same.