Integrated Blood Pump with Fluid Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional single-needle blood treatment apparatuses are complex and impractical for self-care settings due to intricate designs and the risk of blood infection/contamination from pressure measurement systems, which complicates handling and fluid flow efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A blood treatment apparatus with integrated fluid and blood pumps, where the fluid pump controls the blood pump operation using blood treatment fluid, allowing blood pressure measurements on the fluid side and facilitating a simpler, safer design suitable for self-care environments, including disposable components and safeguard modules for quality control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure measurements are performed on the blood side to monitor blood treatment, then measurement precision is improved, but the risk of blood infection and contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses blood treatment fluid as an intermediary substance to transmit pressure information from the blood side to the measurement sensors. The fluid is in contact with blood through the dialyzer membrane, allowing indirect pressure measurement without direct sensor contact with blood, thereby eliminating infection risk while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the blood pressure signal by measuring pressure in the blood treatment fluid that is in equilibrium with blood pressure across the dialyzer membrane. This copied pressure information is sufficient for monitoring purposes without requiring direct blood contact
2Manufacturing precision
If the apparatus design includes separate blood pumps and fluid pumps with complex control systems, then fluid flow control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the blood pump and fluid pump into a single integrated pump unit with a shared motor and control system. The pump mechanism alternately performs blood pumping and fluid pumping functions, reducing the number of separate components while maintaining precise flow control through coordinated operation
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated pump unit is designed to perform multiple functions: pumping blood during blood intake phase, pumping blood during blood return phase, and pumping blood treatment fluid, all through a single pump mechanism controlled by a unified control system, thereby simplifying the overall apparatus
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 solution provides a safe, uncomplicated, and efficient blood treatment process with reduced risk of infection, improved handling, and efficient fluid flow, making it suitable for self-care and various dialysis applications, including single-needle hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible membrane (9a) which constitutes a separation wall between the first and second accumulation containers (9b, 9c)
Implementation Method 2
The second accumulation container (9c) is configured to receive an amount of working fluid to act on the flexible member (9a)
Implementation Method 3
the blood treatment fluid constitutes the working fluid for the at least one blood pump
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 2a
AI summary
A proposed blood treatment apparatus includes : a blood treatment unit (8), at least one fluid pump (14, 15) and at least one blood pump (1a, 1b). The blood treatment unit (8) is configured to receive untreated blood and fresh blood treatment fluid, and emit treated blood and used blood treatment fluid. The fluid pump(s) (14, 15) is(are) configured to pass blood treatment fluid through the blood treatment unit (8). The blood pump(s) ( 1a, 1b) is(are) configured to extract untreated blood from a blood source (S), pass extracted blood through the blood treatment unit (8) and deliver treated blood to a target vessel (T). Additionally, at least one of the fluid pumps (14, 15) is configured to control the operation of at least one blood pump (1a, 1b) via the blood treatment fluid. Moreover, at least one of the blood pumps (1a, 1b) is integrated into a joint apparatus element (D), which includes the blood treatment unit (8). Thus, this blood pump and the unit (8) may be mounted as well as be discarded jointly.