ECMO Cannula Balloon Cuff Prevents Limb Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ECMO methods often restrict blood flow to peripheral limbs, leading to potential loss of limbs due to arterial occlusion, and also suffer from issues like recirculation and mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood.
Innovation Solution
A cannula and balloon system for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) that includes one or more cannulas, an insertion mechanism, and a balloon cuff. This system allows for venous-venous or venous-arterial insertion into blood vessels, preventing occlusion, recirculation, and mixing of blood by using a balloon cuff to secure the cannula and maintain blood flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cannula is inserted into a blood vessel for ECMO, then oxygenated blood can be delivered to the body, but blood flow to peripheral limbs is restricted leading to potential limb loss
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula is divided into multiple functional segments: a balloon segment that can be inflated to block central blood flow, a drainage segment for removing deoxygenated blood, and a reinfusion segment for returning oxygenated blood. This segmentation allows the cannula to perform multiple functions while minimizing harmful effects on peripheral blood flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon portion of the cannula is selectively inflated to create localized blood flow restriction only at the central vessel level where needed for ECMO therapy, while peripheral blood flow pathways remain unaffected. This localized control resolves the contradiction by applying flow restriction only where necessary for treatment effectiveness.
2Reliability
If a cannula is used for blood drainage and reinfusion, then oxygenation can be achieved, but recirculation and mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula separates blood drainage and reinfusion functions into distinct segments with separate lumens and openings. The drainage segment has openings positioned to extract deoxygenated blood, while the reinfusion segment has openings positioned to return oxygenated blood to a different location, preventing recirculation and mixing of blood streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The cannula utilizes spatial dimensionality by positioning drainage openings and reinfusion openings at different locations and orientations within the vessel. This three-dimensional arrangement ensures that oxygenated and deoxygenated blood streams remain spatially separated, preventing mixing and recirculation while maintaining effective oxygenation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides for a cannula and balloon system for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The system may comprise one or more cannula, one or more insertion mechanism, and one or more balloon cuff. The method may comprise venous-venous or venous-arterial insertion into one or more blood vessels or chambers of the heart. The balloon cuff may allow fluid flow to avoid oxygenated blood restriction to a region of the body for the cannula insertion duration. One or both the balloon cuff and dual cannula may prevent occlusion, recirculation, and mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. When there is a dual cannula, the cannula may comprise a reinfusion cannula and a drainage cannula. A reinfusion cannula may bypass one or more chambers of the heart. When the system comprises more than one cannula, the cannulae may be joined via a cannula connection mechanism.