IV Injection Port Indicator Balloon for Prior Use Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current IV fluid bags lack a mechanism to notify medical personnel of prior injections, risking the infusion of contaminated or improperly medicated fluids due to the self-sealing material's inability to indicate punctures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an object or sealed chamber within the injection port that alters appearance upon needle penetration, providing visual notification of prior use through inflation/deflation, color change, or fluid interaction, ensuring medical personnel are aware of previous injections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a self-sealing material is used in the injection port to prevent leakage, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the ability to indicate prior puncture is lost
Solution Approach 1:
A balloon is nested inside the injection port housing, surrounding the self-sealing material. The balloon serves as an inner indicator system that is activated when the outer self-sealing membrane is punctured, allowing the balloon to expand and provide visual indication while the self-sealing material maintains its sealing function
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon acts as an intermediary element between the puncture event and the visual indication. When the needle punctures the self-sealing membrane, it simultaneously punctures the balloon, causing the balloon to expand and provide visual feedback without compromising the self-sealing function of the original membrane
2Device complexity
If no indicator mechanism is added to the injection port, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to notify medical personnel of prior use is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon provides a visual color change indication when activated. The expansion of the balloon creates a visible color change or opacity change that can be easily observed by medical personnel, providing clear notification of prior use without requiring complex electronic or mechanical systems
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator mechanism utilizes the spatial dimension within the injection port housing by placing the balloon in a collapsed state initially and allowing it to expand into the available space when activated. This three-dimensional transformation provides clear visual indication without adding significant external complexity to the injection port structure
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
Prevents accidental infusion of contaminated or improperly medicated fluids by visually indicating prior use of the IV bag injection port, enhancing patient safety by allowing medical personnel to identify compromised IV bags before use.
Implementation Method 1
the balloon expands or contracts in response to pressure changes caused by needle penetration
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention monitors an IV bag injection port and informs the user of prior injections. The present invention employs an object and/or a sealed chamber within a transparent IV fluid bag injection port. In the case of the object, notification of prior use is achieved when the object's or IV fluid's appearance is altered. With respect to the sealed chamber, the chamber's seal is breached to allow fluid to pass between the chamber and the IV bag to change the appearance of the contents of the chamber. Since the injection port and bag walls are at least partially transparent, medical personnel are able to observe the altered appearance of either the object, IV fluid or the sealed chamber.