Infusion Pump Closed-Loop Catch-Up Delivery Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current infusion pumps operate using open loop systems, leading to interruptions in medication delivery due to occlusions, kinks, or other disturbances, resulting in delays and inefficiencies that disrupt nurse planning and patient treatment timelines.
Innovation Solution
The development of a configurable closed loop delivery rate catch-up system for infusion pumps, which adjusts the infusion rate based on actual versus expected accumulated volume, using a catch-up rate factor to resume delivery after interruptions, ensuring timely and accurate medication administration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an open loop pumping rate system is used, then the pump operates at a single target motor speed to deliver the desired flow rate, but flow delivery is interrupted by occlusions, kinks, or other conditions, resulting in delays in desired infusion completion
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism by continuously monitoring the actual accumulated infusion volume and comparing it to the expected volume. When a discrepancy is detected (indicating an interruption), the system automatically adjusts the motor speed to catch up on lost delivery time, ensuring reliable and continuous medication delivery despite occlusions or disturbances.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump transitions from a static single target motor speed operation to a dynamic system that continuously adjusts motor speed based on real-time feedback. The motor speed is modulated to maintain the desired infusion completion timeline, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions such as occlusions, kinks, or air-in-line events.
2Ease of operation
If the pump operates at a single target motor speed, then the system is simple to operate, but any interruption causes loss of delivery time and delays infusion completion
Solution Approach 1:
The closed-loop system continuously monitors actual versus expected accumulated volume and provides feedback to the control algorithm. This enables automatic detection of interruptions and triggers catch-up delivery by increasing motor speed, thereby recovering lost delivery time without requiring manual intervention or complex user programming.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-correction by automatically detecting interruptions through volume monitoring and autonomously adjusting motor speed to compensate for lost delivery time. This self-service capability eliminates the need for nurse intervention or manual rate adjustments, maintaining ease of operation while recovering time losses.
3Reliability
If occlusions or disturbances interrupt medication delivery, then the open loop system cannot compensate, but a closed loop system with catch-up delivery is needed to maintain treatment timelines
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback control by continuously comparing actual accumulated volume against expected volume based on the prescribed infusion rate and time. When interruptions are detected, the control algorithm calculates the volume deficit and adjusts motor speed accordingly, ensuring accurate medication delivery despite occlusions or disturbances.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the motor speed parameter in response to detected interruptions. By modifying the motor speed to increase during catch-up delivery, the system maintains treatment timelines and ensures accurate medication delivery without requiring fundamental changes to the pump hardware or complex additional subsystems.
Data Source
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AI summary
An infusion system and pump with configurable closed loop delivery rate catch-up including an infusion system having a medication management unit and a medical device. The medication management unit has programming code to: provide a graphical user interface for modifying a drug library; receive a catch-up rate factor; update the drug library with the catch-up rate factor; and transmit the updated drug library to the medical device. The medical device has programming code to: receive the updated drug library; receive a desired infusion rate; calculate expected accumulated infusion volume from the desired infusion rate; request delivery of the infusion at the desired infusion rate; determine actual accumulated infusion volume at a particular time; increase the infusion rate by the catch-up rate factor to generate a catch-up infusion rate when at the particular time the actual accumulated infusion volume is less than expected; and request infusion at the catch-up infusion rate.