Fake Blood Composition for Simulated Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current fake blood formulations used in simulated surgical procedures suffer from issues such as foaming due to detergents, osmolarity mismatch with real blood, and inability to clot, which can lead to unrealistic training scenarios and potential tissue damage.

Innovation Solution

A fake blood composition that includes colorants, proteins, sugars, salts, and thickeners, designed to mimic the viscosity and osmolality of human blood, with the ability to clot using conventional clotting agents and include a detergent and defoamer to prevent foaming, allowing for realistic simulation of bleeding and clotting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If theater blood is pumped through the organs, then the simulated surgical procedure can be performed, but the blood foams due to detergents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to pump blood through organsVSAvoidfoaming
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes detergents from the fake blood formulation entirely, extracting the harmful foaming component while retaining the essential function of simulating blood flow through organs. This eliminates the foam generation problem while maintaining pumpability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a defoamer agent as an intermediary substance that prevents foam formation without interfering with the blood's flow properties. This mediator allows the blood to be pumped through organs while suppressing the harmful foaming effect.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If theater blood is used with lower osmolality, then the blood flows more easily, but the organs swell due to fluid uptake

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblood flowVSAvoidorgan swelling
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent adjusts the osmolality parameter of the fake blood to match that of real blood (approximately 285-295 mOsm/kg). This parameter change ensures that organs do not swell from osmotic fluid uptake while maintaining natural blood flow characteristics through the organ system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If conventional clotting agents are used, then the blood can clot realistically, but the cleaning process becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclotting abilityVSAvoidcleaning up
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a water-soluble clotting agent that allows for realistic clot formation during the simulation but can be easily dissolved and removed with water afterward. This approach treats the clotting function as a temporary, disposable effect that does not create permanent cleaning difficulties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 composition provides a realistic simulated blood experience that can clot and be easily cleaned up, reducing the risk of tissue damage and enhancing the realism of surgical training scenarios.

Implementation Method 1

include a detergent and defoamer to prevent foaming

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDefoaming: Antifoam

Implementation Method 2

Biological clotting factors circulate in the blood as inert proteins until a cascade of events initiates their conversion into active components which participate in blood clotting

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoagulation: Coagulation

Implementation Method 3

The composition includes colorants, proteins, sugars, salts, and thickeners, designed to mimic the viscosity and osmolality of human blood

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectViscosification:

Implementation Method 4

the osmolarity of theater blood is typically not the same as regular blood. As a result, organs can swell as they uptake fluid which is at a lower osmolality than regular blood

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOsmosis: Osmosis

Data Source

PatentUS12175886B2Fake blood for use in simulated surgical procedures
Publication Date: 2024.12.24 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC

AI summary

Artificial blood compositions for use in simulated surgery, and kits including the compositions, are disclosed. sues, organs, and organ blocks which include dissolvable clots are also disclosed. Further disclosed are methods for carrying out simulated surgical procedures using the compositions, tissues, organs, organ blocks, and kits described herein.