Anticoagulation Control via Flow Ratio Heparin Dosing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for extracorporeal blood treatment in sepsis patients face challenges in effectively removing lipopolysaccharides (LPS) while maintaining a constant heparin concentration, as anion exchangers bind both LPS and heparin, leading to unstable blood clotting and potential life-threatening complications.

Innovation Solution

An anticoagulation control device that uses a blood pump, heparin pump, plasma separator, and plasma pump to separate blood into corpuscular components and plasma, with an anion exchanger for LPS adsorption, and a control unit to adjust heparin supply based on volume flow ratios to maintain a constant heparin concentration, allowing for simultaneous use of heparin as an anticoagulant.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If an anion exchanger is used to remove LPS from blood, then LPS removal effectiveness is improved, but heparin concentration becomes unstable due to simultaneous binding of heparin and LPS

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLPS removal effectivenessVSAvoidheparin concentration stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the operational parameters of the anion exchanger by adjusting flow rates, contact times, and heparin supplementation rates to optimize LPS removal while maintaining heparin concentration stability. The system dynamically adjusts heparin addition based on real-time monitoring to compensate for heparin bound to the exchanger.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors heparin concentration and LPS removal efficiency. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts heparin supplementation rates and extracorporeal circuit flow parameters to maintain stable heparin levels while achieving effective LPS removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If heparin concentration is increased to prevent blood clotting, then anticoagulation effectiveness is improved, but risk of internal bleeding increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanticoagulation effectivenessVSAvoidinternal bleeding risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes heparin concentration parameters within a safe range, adjusting the supplementation rate to maintain sufficient anticoagulation for preventing blood clotting during extracorporeal treatment while avoiding excessive levels that would cause internal bleeding. The system dynamically adjusts heparin addition based on real-time monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If heparin is removed by the anion exchanger, then LPS removal is improved, but blood clotting occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLPS removalVSAvoidblood clotting
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by adding heparin to the blood before it contacts the anion exchanger. This ensures that sufficient heparin is present in the blood stream to maintain anticoagulation effectiveness, compensating for the heparin that will be bound to the exchanger and preventing blood clotting during the LPS removal process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This approach enables effective removal of LPS while maintaining a stable heparin concentration, preventing blood coagulation and bleeding risks, ensuring safe and successful extracorporeal blood treatment for sepsis patients.

Implementation Method 1

an anion exchanger for adsorbing lipopolysaccharides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

the anion exchanger has cationic material, in this case a DEAE-modified surface, which is covalently bound to a solid, insoluble matrix, and neutralizing anions ionically bound to it, which are exchanged by binding other anions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon exchange: Ion Exchange

Implementation Method 3

a means, in particular a plasma separator, for separating the heparinized blood into corpuscular blood components and blood plasma

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal separation: Centrifugal Separation

Data Source

PatentEP3877016B1Method and apparatus for controlling anticoagulation during extracorporeal blood treatment
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 B BRAUN AVITUM
  • EP3877016B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3877016B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3877016B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for controlling anticoagulation during extracorporeal blood treatment on an apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment, said method comprising the steps of: conveying blood in a first line section, in particular by means of a blood pump; delivering a number of biologically and/or pharmacologically active substances having a negative total charge, in particular heparin, to the blood in the first line section, in particular by means of a pump; separating the blood admixed with the number of biologically and/or pharmacologically active substances having a negative total charge into corpuscular blood components and blood plasma, in particular by means of a plasma separator; conveying the separated blood plasma, in particular by means of a plasma pump, in a second line section via an anion exchanger for adsorption of lipopolysaccharides; and bringing the treated blood plasma and the corpuscular blood components together in a third line section; determining a first volumetric flow rate of the blood plasma fraction in the first line section before the delivery of the number of biologically and/or pharmacologically active substances having a negative total charge, in particular on the blood pump; determining a second volumetric flow rate of the blood plasma in the second line section upstream or downstream of the anion exchanger, in particular on the plasma pump. The method is characterized by the step of: setting a quantity of the number of biologically and/or pharmacologically active substances having a negative total charge, which substances are delivered to the blood before the separation, on the basis of the ratio of the first volumetric flow rate and the second volumetric flow rate, in such a way that, after the treated blood plasma and the corpuscular blood components have been brought together, a concentration of the number of biologically and/or pharmacologically active substances having a negative total charge in the third line section assumes a predetermined, in particular constant, target value. The invention further relates to an anticoagulation control device for corresponding implementation of the method.