Inflatable Overlay for Venous Return in Anaphylaxis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pharmacological treatments for acute severe venodilation, such as anaphylactic reactions, are limited in efficacy and do not effectively increase venous tone, leading to potential cardiac complications and mortality, especially in surgical settings where rapid and severe reactions occur.
Innovation Solution
A corporeal compression system using a flexible sheet material arranged in layers with a gas supply system to apply compression to a patient, increasing venous blood pressure by delivering gas through an inlet orifice and restraints to elevate pressure between the sheet material and a supporting surface, thereby enhancing venous return and cardiac output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pharmacological treatments (adrenaline, fluid infusion) are used to manage acute severe venodilation, then cardiac function and peripheral vascular resistance are improved, but venous tone remains insufficient and mortality remains high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacological treatments with a mechanical compression system. An overlay with inflatable chambers applies external mechanical compression to the patient's body, directly increasing venous return and venous tone without relying on drugs like adrenaline or fluid infusion. This mechanical approach substitutes the chemical/pharmacological system with a purely mechanical solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic principles by incorporating an inflatable overlay with chambers that can be filled with gas. The gas supply system delivers pressurized gas to inflate the overlay, creating controlled compression forces against the patient's body. This pneumatic mechanism enables precise control of compression pressure to manage venodilation effectively.
2Quantity of substance
If fluid infusion is increased to compensate for venodilation, then blood volume is maintained, but the underlying venous tone problem persists and treatment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fluid infusion with mechanical compression. Instead of adding more fluid to compensate for venodilation, the system applies external compression to mechanically restore venous tone and improve venous return. This substitutes the volumetric approach (fluid infusion) with a mechanical approach (compression), addressing the root cause rather than just the symptom.
3Reliability
If external compression is applied to increase venous return, then venous blood pressure and cardiac output are improved, but patient comfort and mobility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic compression through an inflatable overlay that can adjust compression levels. The system allows compression to be applied only when needed (during venodilation episodes) and can be inflated or deflated as required. This dynamic capability enables the system to provide effective venous return enhancement while minimizing continuous compression that would reduce patient comfort and mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible overlay made of thin, compliant material that conforms to the patient's body contours. This flexible shell design distributes compression forces evenly across the body surface, preventing localized pressure points that would cause discomfort. The thin-film construction allows for ease of application and removal, maintaining patient mobility when not in use.
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 increases venous return and cardiac output by redistributing venous blood, providing an alternative management strategy for anaphylactic reactions and other conditions causing venodilation, potentially reducing mortality and the need for extensive fluid infusion.
Implementation Method 1
the gas supply system is operable to deliver gas via the inlet orifice to increase the volume of the internal region from the deflated state and establish an elevated pressure within the internal region, thereby compressing the patient between the posterior layer of the overlay and the supporting surface
Implementation Method 2
Compression can be advantageous in managing internal fluid pressure or distribution within a patient's body. Further, compression can be advantageous in partial immobilisation of a patient in order to limit discomfort and/or prevent exacerbation of an existing condition.
Data Source
AI summary
A corporeal compression system for use in applying compression to a patient positioned upon a supporting surface has an overlay, and a gas supply system. The overlay includes flexible sheet material that is arranged into at least two layers to define an internal region therebetween, an inlet orifice that opens into the internal region, and restraints that, in use, locate and restrain edge portions of the flexible sheet material. The layers are repositionable with respect to each other such that the sheet material can assume a deflated state in which the volume of the internal region is a minimum In use of the corporeal compression system, the flexible sheet material of the overlay is draped over the patient, the flexible sheet material is restrained relative to the support surface by the restraints, and the gas supply system is operable to deliver gas to increase the volume of the internal region from the deflated state and establish an elevated pressure within the internal region, thereby compressing the patient between the posterior layer of the overlay and the supporting surface.