Flow Restriction Adapter for Hemolysis Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) systems experience issues with hemolysis during blood draws due to high shear stress on red blood cells, leading to compromised blood sample quality and potential complications.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a flow restriction adapter that incorporates a post with a narrow inner lumen, which is designed to couple with both the PIVC and blood collection devices, thereby creating a restricted fluid flow path to reduce shear stress and prevent hemolysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standard catheter system is used for blood collection, then the blood draw process is simple and fast, but high shear stress causes hemolysis of red blood cells
Solution Approach 1:
The flow restriction adapter serves as an intermediary device inserted between the catheter and blood collection tube. It includes a post with a narrow inner lumen that restricts blood flow, thereby reducing shear stress on red blood cells during the blood draw process while maintaining system compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the flow parameters by introducing a restricted flow path through the narrow inner lumen of the post. This modification alters the velocity and shear stress characteristics of blood flow, reducing hemolysis while preserving the blood draw function
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flow restriction adapter with narrow inner lumen is added to reduce shear stress, then hemolysis is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow restriction adapter is designed to be universally compatible with standard catheter assemblies and blood collection tubes through standard luer connectors. This single device performs multiple functions: restricting flow to prevent hemolysis, maintaining system compatibility, and enabling easy attachment/detachment
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter's post with narrow inner lumen is nested within the adapter body, and the entire adapter nests between the catheter and blood collection tube. This compact nested structure minimizes space requirements and simplifies the overall system configuration
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 flow restriction adapter effectively reduces the incidence of hemolysis by increasing flow resistance and minimizing shear stress on blood cells, while maintaining compatibility with existing PIVC systems and blood collection devices, thus ensuring better blood sample quality.
Implementation Method 1
red blood cells may experience high shear stress and be susceptible to hemolysis due to the flow rate through and geometry of the blood collection system
Implementation Method 2
provides a narrow fluid flow path for blood moving through the flow restriction adapter, thereby decreasing the incidence of hemolysis by increasing flow resistance and reducing shear stress
Data Source
AI summary
Flow restricting adapters may include a first and second connector portions, to permit coupling of the adapter restricting flow between a catheter and blood collection device, and a post forming an inner lumen for directing blood through the flow restricting device, the post having a length configured to extend through the first connector portion and be positioned within a portion of the blood collection device, such as the needle of a blood collection tube holder, when the flow restricting device is coupled with the blood collection device, the post having an inner lumen to increase flow resistance and reduce shear stress of blood moving through the flow restricting device, thereby decreasing the incidence of hemolysis.