Magnetic Drainage Pump with Parallel Lumens for Distributed Edema
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable medical systems for fluid drainage are limited in their ability to effectively manage distributed edemas, as they often require electronic components, are complex to implant, and can only drain fluid from a single region, making them inadequate for chronic lymphedema treatment.
Innovation Solution
A pump-based drainage system without electronic components, featuring multiple inlet lumens connected in parallel to ensure uniform fluid drainage from distinct regions, using biocompatible materials and a magnetic-driven pumping mechanism that can be activated externally, allowing for continuous drainage of excess fluid from the subcutaneous space to the blood circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single inlet catheter is used for fluid drainage, then the device structure is simple, but it can only drain fluid from a single region and cannot effectively manage distributed edemas
Solution Approach 1:
The single inlet catheter is segmented into multiple parallel lumens (first lumen, second lumen, etc.), each capable of draining fluid from distinct regions. This segmentation allows the device to cover multiple edematous areas while maintaining a unified catheter structure, resolving the contradiction between drainage coverage and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-point drainage approach to a multi-point parallel drainage architecture by introducing multiple lumens within the same catheter body. This dimensional expansion in the fluid intake pathway enables simultaneous drainage from multiple regions without proportionally increasing external device complexity.
2Extent of automation
If electronic components are integrated into the implantable drainage system, then pumping control can be achieved, but the risk of malfunctions and complications increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces electronic pumping control with a purely mechanical pumping mechanism. The pump is driven by external magnetic field rotation, which mechanically actuates the pump components through magnetic coupling without requiring electronic components inside the implant. This substitution eliminates electronic failure risks while maintaining automated pumping functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A magnetic field acts as an intermediary between the external controller and the implantable pump. The rotating magnetic field externally generates torque on the pump's magnetic rotor, transmitting mechanical energy across the tissue boundary without physical or electronic penetration. This intermediary mechanism achieves remote control while isolating the implant from electronic complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple parallel lumens are used for drainage, then uniform fluid drainage from distinct regions is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate drainage pathways are merged into a single integrated catheter body with parallel lumens. The inlet member combines multiple lumens that originate from different spatial locations but converge to a common outlet, ensuring uniform drainage distribution while presenting a unified structural form factor that limits complexity increases.
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 system provides efficient and uniform drainage of excess fluids from multiple edematous regions, minimizing the risk of malfunctions and complications, and can be controlled externally, effectively addressing the limitations of existing technologies in managing chronic lymphedema.
Implementation Method 1
using biocompatible materials and a magnetic-driven pumping mechanism that can be activated externally
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a medical fluid drainage device for drainage of edematous tissues comprising at least one pumping element (1, 23, 33), having an inlet and an outlet, at least one outlet member (2) having at least one lumen, connected directly or indirectly to the outlet of said pumping element and connecting said pumping element to a body cavity or to a vessel or to a subcutaneous area, and at least one inlet member (3) connected to said inlet of said pumping element and providing fluidic connection between said edematous tissue and said pumping element, and characterized in that the inlet member comprises at least two inlet lumens (4, 5, 6) connected in parallel to said inlet of said pumping element, each of said lumens (4, 5, 6) contains at least one fluid access region, wherein each fluid access region (8, 9, 10) being adapted to allow simultaneous edematous fluid entry from distinct regions of said edematous tissue.