Emergency Supply Valve Reroutes Infusion via Pressure-Activated Bypass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implantable drug infusion devices face challenges in ensuring continuous medication supply and timely patient alertness when the regular delivery route is obstructed, particularly due to issues like catheter kinking or occlusion, which can lead to life-threatening conditions like hypertensive crisis in pulmonary arterial hypertension, and existing alarm systems are inadequate, especially in external pumps which are stigmatizing and prone to battery failure.
Innovation Solution
An emergency supply valve system that reroutes drug infusion from a regular intravenous route to a subcutaneous route using a pressure-activated mechanism with a movable piston and infusion needle, which punctures a self-sealing membrane to create a bypass, ensuring continuous drug delivery and alerting the patient through local irritation or pain, without the need for an energy source like batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an electronic alarm system is used to alert patients of catheter occlusion, then patient awareness of blockage is improved, but device complexity and battery consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic alarm systems with a purely mechanical pressure-activated valve mechanism. The emergency supply valve automatically activates when pressure from catheter occlusion exceeds a threshold, opening a bypass without requiring batteries, electronic components, or external power sources. This mechanical substitution eliminates the complexity and energy consumption associated with electronic sensors and alarm systems while maintaining reliable blockage detection and response.
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency supply valve is designed to automatically activate and regulate itself based on pressure conditions without external control. The valve's mechanical design includes a pressure-sensitive diaphragm and spring mechanism that self-activates when occlusion pressure exceeds the spring force, and self-regulates to maintain appropriate pressure differential. This self-service capability eliminates the need for electronic control systems, batteries, and complex circuitry.
2Reliability
If external pumps with acoustic alarms are used, then patient alertness to occlusion is improved, but patient comfort and social acceptance deteriorate due to stigmatizing external devices
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency supply valve is nested within the existing implantable pump system, integrating the mechanical alarm function into the already-implanted device. The valve utilizes the pump's housing and operational space, eliminating the need for separate external alarm devices. This nesting approach maintains patient comfort by keeping everything implanted while providing reliable occlusion detection through the mechanical pressure-activation mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If implantable pumps are used to provide continuous drug delivery, then patient convenience and comfort are improved, but the risk of silent occlusion without patient awareness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency supply valve is pre-configured with a spring mechanism that maintains the valve in a closed state during normal operation. The spring is pre-loaded to a specific force that corresponds to the threshold pressure for occlusion detection. This preliminary configuration ensures that when occlusion occurs and pressure exceeds the spring force, the valve automatically opens without requiring any active sensing or control, providing immediate backup drug delivery through the percutaneous access site.
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 system ensures uninterrupted medication supply and alerts the patient to potential life-threatening interruptions by rerouting the infusion through a subcutaneous route, overcoming connective tissue barriers and rendering electronic alarm systems redundant, while maintaining functionality without battery dependence.
Implementation Method 1
upon pressure increase in the regular drug delivery conduit due to blockage, said piston (2) together with said infusion needle (1) moves from the resting into said forward position
Implementation Method 2
a return spring (8) provided in a chamber (11) of the housing, the return spring (8) being connected to the moveable piston (2) assisting to move said piston with the infusion needle into its resting position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention provides an emergency supply valve to support the in situ administration of a drug to a subject in need thereof, comprising an infusion needle connected to a movable piston, wherein said piston is forwarded by infusion solution unable to pass the regular drug line due to kinking or obstruction thereof, a self-sealing membrane that is disrupted by the infusion needle when the piston is in a forward position, a connecting unit that connects the needle to the regular drug conduit when the needle is in a forward position, and a pressure sensitive mechanism that retracts the piston from the forward position when an increased pressure of the drug supply is normalized and its use for the treatment of subjects in need thereof.