Intravascular Pump with Distal Sensor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular blood pumps face limitations in reducing the crossing profile, optimizing blood flow, and minimizing thrombosis and hemolysis, particularly due to the need for integrated motors and the presence of flow inducers and diffusers, as well as challenges in measuring pressure and flow rate directly.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an expandable and collapsible inlet region with a non-expandable impeller housing, eliminating flow inducers and diffusers, and integrates direct flow rate pressure sensors with distal sensor tracking to measure flow rate accurately within the left ventricle, reducing the need for external motors and minimizing thrombosis risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If integrated motors and flow inducers/diffusers are used, then pumping function is achieved, but crossing profile is increased and thrombosis risk is elevated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the integrated motor from the intravascular pump design, using an external motor instead. It also eliminates flow inducers and diffusers from the pump housing, extracting these components that were causing increased crossing profile and thrombosis risk while maintaining the pumping function through the impeller alone
Solution Approach 2:
The pump system is divided into intravascular components (impeller, housing) and extracorporeal components (motor, control system). This segmentation allows the intravascular portion to have minimal crossing profile while the external motor provides the driving force, resolving the contradiction between compact size and pumping capability
2Device complexity
If integrated motors are used, then self-contained pumping is achieved, but device complexity and crossing profile are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The motor function is extracted from the intravascular pump and placed externally. This removes the complex motor components from the vessel-crossing portion of the device, significantly reducing the crossing profile while maintaining self-contained operation through the external motor connection
Solution Approach 2:
The external motor serves multiple functions: providing rotational drive to the impeller, enabling speed control for variable flow rates, and potentially serving as part of the control system. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating functions outside the intravascular component
3Productivity
If flow inducers and diffusers are included, then blood flow optimization is achieved, but thrombosis and hemolysis are increased
Solution Approach 1:
Flow inducers and diffusers are completely removed from the pump housing design. The patent relies on the impeller geometry and housing shape alone to optimize blood flow, eliminating the additional surfaces and structures that were creating thrombosis and hemolysis risks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes blood flow by changing the geometric parameters of the impeller and housing rather than adding flow inducers or diffusers. This involves adjusting blade angles, housing contours, and impeller dimensions to achieve efficient flow patterns without additional components that would increase thrombosis and hemolysis
4Measurement precision
If indirect pressure-based flow measurement is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces indirect pressure-based flow measurement with direct flow rate sensing using sensors that measure flow directly. This substitution provides significantly improved measurement precision while the sensors are integrated into the pump housing in a manner that minimizes additional complexity
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 configuration allows for a reduced crossing profile, improved blood flow, and direct measurement of flow rate, enhancing the efficiency and safety of intravascular blood pumps by eliminating unnecessary components and providing real-time data for optimal operation.
Implementation Method 1
a distal pressure sensor positioned within the left ventricle to detect the ventricle's contraction and relaxation cycles
Implementation Method 2
The design incorporates an expandable and collapsible inlet region with a non-expandable impeller housing
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an intravascular blood pump comprising a pump assembly without a flow inducer or diffuser, and proximal and distal flow rate or pressure sensors, wherein the distal flow rate or pressure sensor may be tracked distal to the impeller after placement of the blood pump within the patient's vasculature.