Inhaled Nitric Oxide Delivery System for Pulmonary Vasoreactivity Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension, particularly those involving parenteral prostacyclin therapy, are costly, complex, and associated with significant side effects and risks, with limited options for less invasive alternatives, and there is a need for methods to evaluate patients for potential transition from continuous infusion therapies.
Innovation Solution
The use of inhaled nitric oxide as a diagnostic agent during right heart catheterization to assess pulmonary vasoreactivity, allowing for the evaluation of patients for transition from parenteral prostacyclin therapy to alternative, less cumbersome therapies, and the implementation of a NO delivery system that converts nitrogen dioxide to nitric oxide using a surface-active material coated with a reducing agent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If parenteral prostacyclin therapy is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but treatment complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the therapeutic function of prostacyclin from complex parenteral administration systems and implements it through simple inhaled nitric oxide therapy, which achieves similar pulmonary vasodilation effects without requiring continuous infusion pumps or invasive catheterization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inhaled nitric oxide as an intermediary diagnostic tool to identify patients who can transition from complex prostacyclin therapy to simpler alternative treatments, serving as a bridge between diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic decision-making
2Adaptability or versatility
If inhaled nitric oxide is used to assess pulmonary vasoreactivity, then patient transition evaluation is enabled, but risk of nitrogen dioxide formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful oxidation of nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide into a beneficial diagnostic indicator, where controlled NO exposure followed by measurement of vasorelaxation response provides safe and effective patient evaluation for therapy transition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent carefully controls the concentration and duration of inhaled nitric oxide parameters to remain within safe limits that prevent significant nitrogen dioxide formation while still achieving sufficient pulmonary vasodilation for accurate vasoreactivity assessment
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
This approach enables the assessment of pulmonary vasoreactivity and potential transition to alternative therapies, potentially improving patient outcomes by reducing treatment complexity and side effects, while ensuring safe delivery of nitric oxide without harmful nitrogen dioxide exposure.
Implementation Method 1
a surface-active material coated with a reducing agent
Data Source
AI summary
A method for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension in a patient can include determining whether a patient with pulmonary arterial hypertension has an enlarged right ventricle or right ventricular dysfunction, where the patient has previously been administered a prostanoid and weaning the patient off of the prostanoid if the patient does not have an enlarged right ventricle or right ventricular dysfunction.