Implantable Device Replenishment Timing via Actual Output Measurement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Implantable medical devices face challenges in accurately determining the optimal time for replenishing exhaustible resources, often leading to premature or unnecessary surgical procedures due to conservative worst-case scenario assumptions, which can result in inconvenient, costly, and potentially risky situations.

Innovation Solution

An implantable medical device that measures the actual therapeutic output delivered to a patient, using a calculator to determine the precise time for replenishment based on actual usage, rather than worst-case assumptions, allowing for more accurate prediction and minimizing unnecessary surgeries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If worst-case scenario assumptions are used to determine replenishment time, then device reliability is improved, but surgical procedure frequency increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidsurgical procedure timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors actual therapeutic output delivery and feeds this information back to the replenishment determination mechanism. This allows the device to adjust replenishment timing based on real usage patterns rather than static worst-case assumptions, reducing unnecessary surgeries while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The replenishment determination transitions from a static worst-case model to a dynamic system that adapts to actual usage conditions. The calculator adjusts replenishment timing based on measured therapeutic output, allowing the system to optimize between reliability and minimizing surgical interventions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If worst-case scenario assumptions are used, then resource exhaustion is prevented, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource availabilityVSAvoidreplenishment time accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical/worst-case estimation approach with an electronic measurement and calculation system. Sensors measure actual therapeutic output, and a calculator determines precise replenishment timing based on these measurements, achieving both resource availability and measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The device autonomously monitors its own resource consumption through therapeutic output measurement and self-determines optimal replenishment timing without external intervention or conservative assumptions, improving both accuracy and resource management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8282625B2Implantable medical device with time for therapeutic output replenishment determination and method therefore

Publication Date: 2012.10.09 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

An implantable medical device for producing a variable therapeutic output to a patient. A therapeutic output delivery module requires replenishment following delivery of a predetermined amount of the therapeutic output. A calculator is responsive to a measure of an amount of the therapeutic output actually delivered to the patient for determining a parameter representative of a time at which the therapeutic output delivery module of the implantable medical device should be replenished with the therapeutic substance based at least in part upon the amount obtained from the measure. A method determines a parameter representative of a time at which a therapeutic output module of an implantable medical device should be replenished following delivery of a predetermined amount of therapeutic output. An amount of the therapeutic output actually delivered to the patient is measured. The parameter is calculated based at least in part upon the amount obtained in the measuring step.