Self-contained Heart Pump with External Motor and Sealing Membrane
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heart pumps for treating cardiac insufficiency are complex to install, not designed for long-term use, and invasive, requiring costly and risky surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A heart pump with an impeller inserted through the heart wall, secured by a sealing membrane, and a motor positioned outside the ventricle for easy access, connected to a management unit for controlled blood flow regulation, featuring a biocompatible impeller and sensors for synchronization with heart activity, allowing for simplified maintenance and reduced invasiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current heart pumps are used to treat cardiac insufficiency, then blood flow regulation is achieved, but the installation process becomes complex and invasive
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into separate functional modules: an impeller assembly for blood pumping, a motor assembly for driving the impeller, and a control unit for regulation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall installation process by enabling modular placement and connection.
Solution Approach 2:
A biocompatible membrane is introduced as an intermediary between the impeller and the ventricle wall, providing a sealing surface that simplifies attachment while maintaining blood flow efficiency. This membrane acts as a mediator that facilitates easy installation without requiring complex surgical procedures.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If current heart pumps are designed for permanent use, then long-term treatment is enabled, but maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The motor assembly is designed as a separate, removable module from the impeller and housing. This segmentation allows the motor to be easily accessed, removed, and replaced through minimal incisions, significantly improving maintenance ease while maintaining the pump's capability for long-term use.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump incorporates dynamic adjustability in its control unit, allowing real-time modification of pump speed and blood flow regulation without requiring surgical intervention. This dynamic control enables long-term use with easy maintenance through software updates rather than hardware replacements.
3Reliability
If invasive pumps are inserted through the heart wall, then blood flow control is achieved, but patient mobility is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible biocompatible membrane is used to seal the impeller against the ventricle wall, providing effective blood flow control while minimizing mechanical interference with the heart's natural motion. This flexible sealing mechanism maintains blood flow control without restricting patient mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump control system replaces complex mechanical adjustments with electronic control, allowing blood flow regulation to be adjusted through software rather than mechanical modifications. This substitution enables precise blood flow control while maintaining patient mobility and comfort.
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 heart pump provides stable and efficient blood flow regulation, is easy to install and maintain, and can be used for long-term treatment without the need for complex surgical procedures, enhancing patient mobility and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
an impeller inserted partly in the systemic ventricle of a heart, through the wall of the heart... a housing arranged inside the systemic ventricle in such a way as to draw up then discharge the blood
Implementation Method 2
a sealing and fixing membrane that is sutured to the outer wall of the heart, the epicardium, in such a way as to secure the impeller to the wall of the heart
Implementation Method 3
a motor arranged partly outside the systemic ventricle and connected to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A heart pump includes a rotative impeller partly inserted into the systemic ventricle, this rotative impeller being equipped with a membrane sutured to the outer wall of the heart in such a way as to secure the rotative impeller to the wall of the heart, a housing arranged inside the systemic ventricle in such a way as to draw up then discharge blood, a motor connected to the housing and arranged partly outside the systemic ventricle in such a way as to facilitate maintenance; an integrated management unit in the epigastric region including a power supply and a rotative impeller control unit; and a wired link between the management unit and the rotative impeller.