Hydrophobic Membrane Infusion Valve for Air Bubble Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional infusion valves for ophthalmic procedures fail to effectively vent air bubbles from the gas supply line without reverse leakage of liquid, and limit the back-flow of infusion fluids due to the inability to purge gases, which can damage equipment and disrupt intraocular pressure.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with a hydrophobic membrane filter that separates gas and liquid supply lines, allowing bi-directional gas flow while preventing liquid leakage, enabling venting and purging of gases during fluid infusion and aspiration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional check valves are used in infusion stopcocks, then liquid flow control is maintained, but air bubbles cannot be vented without causing liquid reverse leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly is divided into separate gas supply line and liquid supply line pathways, with a hydrophobic filter separating the cavities. This segmentation allows independent control of gas and liquid flows, enabling air bubble venting through the gas line without affecting liquid infusion through the liquid line.
Solution Approach 2:
A hydrophobic filter acts as an intermediary component between the gas supply line cavity and liquid supply line cavity. The filter allows gas molecules to pass through while blocking liquid molecules, enabling air bubble removal without causing liquid reverse leakage into the gas line.
2Adaptability or versatility
If infusion fluids are back-flowed for retinal tamponade injection, then surgical fluid delivery is enabled, but equipment damage occurs due to inability to purge infusion gases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic filter extracts and removes gas bubbles from the infusion liquid by allowing gas to pass through the filter into the gas supply line cavity while retaining liquid. This extraction function enables safe purging of infusion gases before back-flowing fluids, preventing equipment damage.
3Stress or pressure
If gas pressure builds up in the gas supply line, then gas delivery is maintained, but air escapes into the infusion line forming air bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic filter converts the harmful effect of gas pressure buildup into a beneficial function by allowing excess gas to escape through the filter into the gas supply line. This prevents air bubbles from forming in the infusion line while maintaining effective gas delivery pressure.
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
Maintains intraocular pressure by actively venting gases and preventing liquid leakage, facilitating controlled fluid infusion and aspiration, and allowing greater volume of fluids to be back-flowed without equipment damage.
Implementation Method 1
A filter having a hydrophobic membrane is disposed between and partitions the first cavity from the second cavity and the hydrophobic membrane partially defines the second cavity
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to fluid control valves for delivering and/or aspirating fluid during ophthalmic surgeries and procedures. In one embodiment, a valve assembly includes a first portion configured to fluidly couple with a gas supply line and a second portion configured to fluidly couple with a liquid supply line and an infusion line. The first portion and the second portion are partitioned or separated from each other by a filter having a hydrophobic membrane configured to prevent the flow of liquids therethrough while allowing the free flow of gas. Accordingly, an infusion liquid may be flown through the second portion while gases may be simultaneously aspirated through the first portion, without any liquids travelling into the gas supply line. The gas supply line may thus be utilized to vent or purge gases from the infusion line before or during performance of surgical procedures.