Corneal Preservation Cartridge with Pneumatic Fluid Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corneal tissue preservation devices fail to maintain long-term viability and quality due to inadequate sterile fluid circulation and imaging limitations, leading to short tissue survival times incompatible with corneal transplants.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with transparent components and a pneumatically controlled switching system for fluid circulation, allowing for improved handling, mobility, and imaging capabilities, while maintaining the corneal tissue in endothelial and epithelial chambers with controlled pressure and fluid composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a corneal tissue preservation device is designed with sealed chambers and fluid circulation capabilities, then the tissue survival time is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate endothelial and epithelial chambers, each with independent fluid circulation. This segmentation allows targeted preservation of different corneal layers while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The preservation device integrates multiple functions including tissue storage, dual-chamber fluid circulation, imaging capability, and LASER cutting capability within a single system, extending tissue survival time while consolidating functions to control overall complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device walls are made transparent for imaging capability, then imaging and LASER cutting can be performed, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Only specific portions of the device walls requiring transparency for imaging and LASER access are made transparent, while other portions can use less expensive opaque materials. This localized application of transparency reduces overall manufacturing cost while maintaining necessary functionality
3Reliability
If a pneumatic switching system is added to control fluid circulation, then the tissue quality is improved through better fluid control, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A pneumatic switching system using compressed gas controls the circulation of preservation fluid through the endothelial and epithelial chambers. This provides reliable, contamination-free actuation that improves tissue quality control while using gas pressure rather than complex mechanical or electrical systems
4Ease of operation
If the device is designed as a removable cassette, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The preservation system is segmented into a removable cassette containing the corneal tissue and preservation chambers, which can be independently handled and transferred. This modular segmentation improves ease of operation for tissue handling while keeping the overall system architecture manageable
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 extends corneal tissue shelf life, enhances tissue quality, facilitates imaging, and simplifies handling and extraction, making it suitable for long-term preservation and transplantation.
Implementation Method 1
an inlet terminal upstream of the storage compartment, said inlet terminal being intended to be connected to a pressurization compressed gas injection device, the pressurization gas making it possible: ∘ to propel the preservation fluid contained in the storage compartment (24) to the preservation chambers
Implementation Method 2
a control terminal upstream of the storage compartment, said control terminal being intended to be connected to a control compressed gas injection device, a pneumatically controlled switching system downstream of the terminals, said switching system being controlled by the compressed control gas
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a medical device in the form of a cartridge (2) incorporating an assembly permitting the preservation of corneal tissue that has been obtained beforehand by sampling, the device comprising: • a storage compartment (24) containing a preserving fluid, • at least one input terminal (21) upstream from the storage compartment (24), for injecting a compressed pressurizing gas, • at least one control terminal (22) upstream from the storage compartment (24), for injecting a compressed control gas, • a pneumatically controlled switching system (26) downstream from the terminals (21, 22), said switching system (26) being controlled by the compressed control gas in order to permit or prohibit the circulation of the compressed pressurizing gas towards the storage compartment (24).