Compression Collar for Jugular Vein Pressure to Mitigate Blast Injuries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current protective measures, such as helmets, are inadequate in preventing concussive injuries to the brain, inner ear, spinal column, and eyes from external concussive forces, as they fail to mitigate the effects of differential motion between the skull and its contents, leading to traumatic axonal and glial injuries.
Innovation Solution
A compression collar that applies pressure to the internal jugular vein to increase cerebral blood volume and intracranial pressure, reducing the differential acceleration between the skull and its contents, thereby minimizing shearing forces and energy absorption by the brain, and also increasing cochlear and intraocular pressures to protect the inner ear and eyes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If helmets are used as external cranial protection, then skull fractures and penetrating brain injuries are prevented, but concussive injuries from acceleration-deceleration mechanisms are not mitigated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intracranial compliance device that acts as an intermediary between the skull and brain contents. This device modifies the intracranial environment by adjusting compliance characteristics, thereby mediating the transmission of accelerative forces from the skull to the brain. The device serves as a buffer that prevents direct force transmission while maintaining skull integrity, thus resolving the contradiction between skull protection and concussion prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the intracranial environment by introducing a compliance device that alters pressure-volume relationships. By modifying intracranial compliance (the ability of the intracranial contents to accommodate volume changes), the system changes how accelerative forces are distributed. This parameter change allows the skull to remain strong while the brain is protected from sudden accelerations through controlled compliance adjustments.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the reserve volume in the skull is maintained, then normal physiologic function is preserved, but differential acceleration between skull and contents occurs during impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by pre-positioning a compliance device within the intracranial space that is designed to activate during accelerative events. This device creates a cushioning effect in advance by establishing controlled compliance characteristics, so that when acceleration occurs, the brain contents are already protected by this pre-configured compliance mechanism rather than experiencing direct differential acceleration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic and hydraulic principles by utilizing fluid-filled or gas-filled compliance devices that respond to pressure changes during acceleration. These devices use the compressibility and flow characteristics of fluids to absorb and distribute accelerative forces, thereby maintaining volume stability while preventing harmful differential acceleration between the skull and its contents.
3Reliability
If intracranial pressure is increased to reduce SLOSH effects, then brain protection from concussive forces is improved, but cerebral blood flow may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using a compliance device that can dynamically adjust its characteristics in response to changing intracranial conditions. Rather than maintaining a fixed high pressure, the device dynamically modulates compliance to provide protection during accelerative events while allowing normal blood flow during quiescent periods. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between protection and blood flow maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic action through compliance devices that oscillate or pulse in response to intracranial pressure changes, creating periodic adjustments in compliance characteristics. This periodic action allows the system to maintain protection during critical moments while periodically returning to normal physiological states that permit adequate cerebral blood flow, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous protection and periodic perfusion.
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 solution effectively reduces the incidence of traumatic axonal and glial injuries by increasing intracranial and intraocular pressures, thereby minimizing the impact of concussive events on the brain, inner ear, and eyes, and preventing sensory neural hearing loss and olfactory dysfunction.
Implementation Method 1
A compression collar that applies pressure to the internal jugular vein to increase cerebral blood volume and intracranial pressure
Implementation Method 2
By mitigating SLOSH, an accelerating force to the skull would tend to move the skull and its contents in unison, preventing collisions amongst intracranial contents
Implementation Method 3
increasing cochlear and intraocular pressures to protect the inner ear and eyes
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for reducing the damaging effects of a blast or concussive event includes applying pressure to at least one jugular vein to reduce the egress of blood from the cranial cavity during the incidence of the concussive event. Reducing blood out flow from the cranial cavity increases intracranial pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid to reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury and injuries to the spinal column. Reducing blood out flow further increases the intracranial pressure, and thereby increases the pressure of the cochlear fluid, the vitreous humor and the cerebrospinal fluid to thereby reduce the risk of injury to the inner ear, internal structure of the eye and the spinal column. In addition, increasing intracranial pressure reduces the likelihood of brain injury and any associated loss of olfactory function.