Implantable Oxygen Delivery Device for Islet Transplantation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current islet transplantation methods face challenges in providing adequate oxygen supply to implanted islets, leading to ischemia and reduced survival rates due to inadequate vascular growth in subcutaneous sites, with no existing solutions for sufficient oxygen delivery outside the liver.
Innovation Solution
A microfabricated implantable medical device with an absorption bag permeable to oxygen and a discharge bag with a targeted permeable portion, connected by an impermeable cannula, which captures oxygen from an external environment and delivers it to the islets, ensuring their survival until vascular growth is established.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If islets are transplanted into subcutaneous sites, then accessibility and implantation area are improved, but oxygen supply becomes insufficient leading to ischemia
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dual-bag system with an absorption bag and discharge bag connected by a cannula as an intermediary mechanism. The absorption bag captures oxygen from the external environment, and the discharge bag delivers it to the islets, solving the oxygen supply problem in subcutaneous transplantation sites without compromising accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary oxygen capture and storage in the absorption bag before transplantation. This preliminary action ensures that oxygen is already available in the device when implanted, providing immediate oxygen supply to islets during the critical period before vascular growth occurs.
2Ease of manufacture
If islets are transplanted outside the liver, then procedural simplicity is improved, but vascular growth time increases causing delayed oxygen delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The absorption bag captures and stores oxygen in advance of when it is needed by the islets. This preliminary oxygen accumulation occurs during the device preparation phase, ensuring oxygen availability immediately upon implantation and eliminating the waiting period for vascular growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The cannula-connected dual-bag system acts as an intermediary oxygen delivery mechanism that bridges the time gap between implantation and vascular growth. The system provides continuous oxygen supply during this critical transition period without requiring immediate vascular integration.
3Quantity of substance
If a permeable structure is used to supply oxygen, then oxygen delivery is improved, but selectivity of oxygen delivery to specific location decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge bag is designed with a specific permeable portion at a defined location, creating local quality differentiation. This allows oxygen to be delivered selectively to the islets positioned at that specific location, maintaining targeted delivery precision while ensuring sufficient oxygen supply through the permeable structure.
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 device effectively provides targeted oxygen supply to islets, enhancing their survival and growth by leveraging natural concentration gradients, allowing for temporary implantation until vascular growth provides a sustainable oxygen source.
Implementation Method 1
one of the bags is fully or partially permeable to a predefined class of small molecules of interest, such as diatomic oxygen (O2)
Implementation Method 2
The small molecules are transported from the absorption bag to the discharge bag via the cannula and permeates through the permeation area to the live cells
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable medical device, a method of manufacturing, and a method of use are described. The implantable medical device includes an absorption bag connected by a cannula to a discharge bag. The implantable medical device also includes a reservoir external to the discharge bag and attached to a surface of the discharge bag. At least a portion of the absorption bag and at least a portion of a bottom surface of the reservoir are permeable to a predefined class of small molecules, such as molecular oxygen. The reservoir can retain live cells that rely on the small molecules for survival and growth. Based on concentration of the small molecules, the small molecules permeate into the absorption bag and are transported to the discharge bag for permeation into the reservoir, thereby providing a supply of the small molecules to the live cells.