Dual-Piston BAV Inflation for Fast Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current BAV devices require significant hand grip force and time to achieve optimal inflation pressures, extending the duration the patient's annulus is blocked, which is unsuitable for frail patients with low ejection fraction and advanced disease.
Innovation Solution
A dual piston balloon catheter inflation device with separate barrels and pistons, allowing for lower hand grip force and rapid pressure regulation, including a check valve to limit pressure and a pressure gauge for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single piston BAV device is used, then the device structure is simple, but significant hand grip force and time are required to achieve optimal inflation pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The inflation device is divided into two separate barrels with two pistons of different sizes. The first piston (larger) delivers initial inflation volume, while the second piston (smaller) provides precise pressure control. This segmentation allows the operator to use the larger piston for initial inflation requiring less force, then switch to the smaller piston for fine pressure adjustment, thereby reducing overall hand grip force requirements while maintaining operational simplicity through modular design
2Productivity
If a single piston BAV device is used, then the device structure is simple, but the time to achieve optimal inflation pressures is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The two-piston system segments the inflation process into two phases: rapid initial inflation using the larger first piston, followed by precise pressure adjustment using the smaller second piston. This segmentation enables faster achievement of target pressures compared to a single piston system that would require sequential manual adjustments, thereby improving productivity while maintaining a relatively simple dual-barrel structure
Solution Approach 2:
The larger first piston is designed to deliver the bulk of the inflation volume in advance, preparing the balloon for rapid expansion. This preliminary action reduces the subsequent workload required for pressure fine-tuning, enabling faster overall inflation process while keeping the device structure manageable through the preliminary delivery of inflation volume
3Reliability
If manual pressure control is used without pressure limitation, then the device is simple to manufacture, but the balloon may exceed burst pressure limits
Solution Approach 1:
A check valve is introduced as an intermediary pressure control mechanism between the pistons and the balloon. The check valve automatically limits maximum pressure by preventing further inflation when a predetermined pressure threshold is reached, providing passive safety without requiring complex active control systems. This intermediary device adds minimal manufacturing complexity while significantly improving reliability by preventing balloon burst
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
Facilitates rapid and precise balloon inflation and deflation, reducing the time the annulus is blocked, and ensuring consistent pressure application without exceeding the balloon's burst limit.
Implementation Method 1
a first piston slidable within the first barrel, the first piston having a first end configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the first barrel, the first piston configured to apply a first pressure to fluid within the first barrel and the outlet chamber
Implementation Method 2
a second piston configured to apply a second pressure to the outlet chamber, wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure
Implementation Method 3
a check valve on the outlet chamber configured to limit a pressure within the outlet chamber
Implementation Method 4
a pressure gauge disposed on the outlet chamber and configured to measure a pressure within the outlet chamber
Implementation Method 5
the first piston having a first end configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the first barrel
Data Source
AI summary
A balloon catheter inflation device includes at least a first barrel, a first piston, and a second piston. The first barrel has a first end coupled to an outlet chamber with a nozzle, and a second open end. The first piston is slidable within the first barrel and has a first end configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the first barrel. The first piston is configured to apply a first pressure to fluid within the first barrel and the outlet chamber. The second piston is configured to apply a second pressure to the outlet chamber, where the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.