Gravity-Driven Blood Filter with Venturi Region
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blood reinfusion systems damage erythrocytes, result in significant blood component loss, are complex, difficult to operate, and not suitable for emergency or sterile environments, making them economically infeasible for many medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A blood reinfusion system featuring a gravity-driven blood filtering system with a venturi region and multiple filters, designed to minimize shear forces and retain native blood components, allowing for efficient processing and reinfusion of autologous blood with minimal loss and damage, and can be operated manually by a single operator in sterile conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional blood reinfusion systems use centrifugation to separate blood components, then blood can be processed and reinfused, but erythrocytes are damaged and blood components are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the centrifugation step entirely from the blood processing system. Instead of using centrifugal force to separate blood components, the system directly filters and reinfuses whole blood, extracting only the necessary impurities while preserving all blood components including erythrocytes, platelets, white blood cells, plasma proteins, and antibodies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a filter as an intermediary component between blood collection and reinfusion. This filter selectively removes impurities (debris, clots, contaminants) while allowing all blood components to pass through intact, serving as a mediator that achieves purification without the harmful effects of centrifugation.
2Productivity
If conventional blood reinfusion systems use centrifugation to isolate erythrocytes, then blood can be processed, but platelets, white blood cells, plasma proteins and antibodies are discarded as waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the harmful impurities from the blood while leaving all beneficial blood components intact. The filter is designed to remove debris, clots, and contaminants without separating or discarding platelets, white blood cells, plasma proteins, or antibodies, thereby preserving the complete blood component profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers all blood components including platelets, white blood cells, plasma proteins, and antibodies that would otherwise be discarded. By using filtration instead of centrifugation, the system retains these valuable components in the reinfused blood, maximizing the therapeutic benefit.
3Productivity
If conventional blood reinfusion systems use complex equipment with multiple specialized technicians, then blood processing can be performed, but the system is difficult to operate and requires advanced planning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex centrifugation-based system into a simple filtration-based system. By dividing the processing function into a single filtration step rather than multiple centrifugation and separation steps, the system becomes easier to operate and requires fewer specialized technicians while maintaining blood processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified version of blood processing that copies only the essential function (purification and reinfusion) without copying the complex centrifugation machinery. This simplified system achieves the same therapeutic goal with minimal equipment and operational complexity.
4Productivity
If conventional blood reinfusion systems are designed for non-emergency use, then complex processing can be performed, but the system is not suitable for emergency or sterile environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of blood processing from complex, multi-step centrifugation to simple, rapid filtration. This parameter change enables the system to function effectively in emergency situations and sterile environments where time is critical and equipment simplicity is essential, while maintaining blood processing capability.
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 effectively processes autologous blood with minimal damage to erythrocytes and retention of native components, reducing blood component loss and enabling efficient reinfusion, while being simple to use and adaptable for emergency and sterile environment applications.
Implementation Method 1
The internal fluid passageway comprises a venturi region, the venturi region comprising an inlet region, a restricted flow path region and an outlet region
Implementation Method 2
a gravity-driven blood filtering system adapted to extract impurities from the blood
Data Source
AI summary
A blood reinfusion system for processing autologous blood for reinfusion into a patient. The system includes a blood reinfusion system having a blood processing canister with an internal fluid passageway. The internal fluid passageway includes a venturi region having a gravity-driven filtering system that is adapted to extract impurities from autologous blood without damaging the erythrocytes in the blood and, hence, inducing hemolysis of the erythrocytes in the blood, and loss of seminal native blood components, including native erythrocytes, platelets, white blood cells, plasma proteins and antibodies.