Electroosmotic Fluid Transport for Tissue Pressure Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Many medical conditions arise from excess fluid in tissues, leading to elevated pressure and potential tissue damage, for which existing treatments like shunts for hydrocephalus are limited in effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

The use of electroosmotic techniques to drive fluid between specific anatomical sites in the body, such as between the superior sagittal sinus and the cerebral cortex, or between the renal artery and the ureter, by applying a treatment voltage detected in response to pressure differences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a shunt is used to drain cerebrospinal fluid, then fluid drainage is achieved, but the treatment is limited in effectiveness and requires invasive surgery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of fluid drainageVSAvoidinvasiveness of treatment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical shunt system with an electroosmotic system that uses electric fields to drive fluid transport. Instead of relying on gravity-driven flow through a physical tube, the invention uses voltage application to create electroosmotic flow that moves fluid across tissue barriers, thereby eliminating the need for invasive surgical implantation of shunts while maintaining effective fluid drainage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces electrodes as intermediaries that apply electric fields to tissue to enable fluid transport. These electrodes serve as a non-invasive interface between the external voltage source and the internal fluid compartments, allowing control of fluid movement without direct mechanical connection or invasive tubing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If electroosmotic techniques are used to drive fluid, then fluid throughput is increased, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid throughputVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic or pulsed voltage application rather than continuous voltage to drive electroosmotic flow. By applying voltage in intervals, the system achieves cumulative fluid transport over time while allowing energy dissipation during off-periods, thereby reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous voltage application while maintaining effective fluid throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the body's own electrochemical environment to facilitate fluid transport. The electroosmotic effect leverages existing charge distributions and ionic compositions in bodily fluids and tissues, requiring minimal external energy input to achieve fluid movement. The system essentially uses the body's inherent properties to do much of the work, reducing the energy burden on the external power source.

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 approach effectively increases fluid throughput and reduces pressure in targeted tissues, potentially treating conditions like hydrocephalus, kidney diseases, and lymph node fluid imbalances.

Implementation Method 1

a control unit, coupled to the electrodes, is configured to apply a voltage between the first and second electrodes, and to configure the voltage to electroosmotically drive fluid from the superior sagittal sinus to the cerebral cortex

Methodology Applied