Compliant Fluid Container for Arterial Compliance Restoration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Reduced compliance in blood vessels, such as the aorta, leads to decreased perfusion and cardiac output, resulting in various health complications, as existing technologies fail to effectively restore the elastic properties of these vessels.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a compliance restoration device with a compliant fluid container implanted within a venous blood vessel, featuring anchoring structures and port configurations that allow blood to flow between the arterial and venous systems, expanding to store energy during systole and release it during diastole, thereby enhancing arterial compliance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a compliant fluid container is implanted within a venous blood vessel to restore arterial compliance, then arterial compliance and cardiac perfusion are improved, but device complexity and surgical procedure complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearterial complianceVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The compliant fluid container is nested within the venous blood vessel, utilizing the existing venous anatomy as a containment structure. This eliminates the need for a separate external housing or complex anchoring system, as the vein itself serves as the containment boundary for the compliant container

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The compliant fluid container acts as an intermediary between the arterial and venous systems, receiving blood from the artery during systole and returning it during diastole. This intermediary mechanism restores arterial compliance without directly modifying the arterial wall, using the venous system as a compliant reservoir

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If ports are formed through blood vessel walls to connect arterial and venous systems, then compliance restoration function is achieved, but risk of blood leakage and clotting increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance restoration functionVSAvoidblood leakage and clotting risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ports through the vessel walls, which initially present a risk for leakage and clotting, are converted into beneficial flow pathways. By establishing controlled communication between the arterial and venous systems, the ports enable the compliance restoration function while the continuous blood flow through these openings actually prevents clot formation by maintaining flow dynamics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The compliant fluid container serves as a cushioning mechanism that absorbs pressure fluctuations and blood flow variations. By providing a compliant chamber that expands and contracts, the system cushions against pressure spikes that could otherwise force blood through the ports under high pressure, reducing the risk of leakage and vessel wall damage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If blood is channeled from arterial to venous system through compliant container, then arterial compliance increases, but potential for blood leakage and clotting in venous system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearterial complianceVSAvoidblood leakage and clotting in venous system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The venous system serves itself as the containment environment for the compliant fluid container. By placing the container within the vein rather than in external tissue, the venous system provides natural containment boundaries and drainage pathways, reducing the risk of leakage to surrounding tissues and utilizing the venous return flow to prevent clotting through continuous movement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 solution effectively increases arterial compliance, improving cardiac perfusion and reducing the risk of clotting and blood leakage, while containing any potential leakage within the venous system, thus minimizing harm to the patient.

Implementation Method 1

compliant fluid container configured such that a cross-sectional area of the fluid container increases when a pressure level within the fluid container is greater than a pressure level outside of the fluid container and decreases when the pressure level within the fluid container is less than the pressure level outside of the fluid container

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20230329753A1Intravenous arterial compliance restoration

Publication Date: 2023.10.19 EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORP

AI summary

A method of shunting blood involves forming a first opening in a wall of a first blood vessel and a wall of a second blood vessel, anchoring a first port of a compliant fluid container to the wall of the first blood vessel such that the first port provides access between the first blood vessel and the second blood vessel through the first opening, and placing a body of the compliant fluid container within the second blood vessel.