Magnetic Syringe Foaming Element for Sclerotherapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sclerotherapy techniques using liquid sclerosing solutions are unpredictable and difficult to automate, as they dilute upon injection into veins, whereas sclerosing foams provide more predictable results but are cumbersome to generate.
Innovation Solution
A foaming chamber with a magnetically or electrostatically driven impeller within a syringe barrel that creates foam by moving the impeller through the vascular treatment fluid, allowing for contactless agitation and efficient foam generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If liquid sclerosing solution is injected into veins, then the injection process is simple, but the solution dilutes in blood causing unpredictable results
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the sclerosing solution from liquid phase to foam phase by incorporating gas bubbles. This phase transition allows the sclerosing agent to maintain higher concentration and resist dilution when injected into blood, as the foam structure preserves the liquid-gas mixture integrity better than pure liquid form.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite foam material combining sclerosing solution with gas bubbles. This composite structure provides both the therapeutic effect of the sclerosing agent and the stability of foam formulation, enabling controlled delivery and reduced dilution in the bloodstream.
2Reliability
If sclerosing foam is used instead of liquid solution, then treatment predictability improves, but foam generation becomes cumbersome and difficult to automate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical foam generation systems with a simple syringe-based manual system. The foam is generated by shaking or agitating the sclerosing solution within the syringe barrel, eliminating the need for complex automated foam generators while maintaining foam quality and treatment predictability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the operator to generate foam directly in the syringe by simple manual agitation. The syringe itself serves as both the container and the foam generation chamber, requiring no additional specialized equipment or complex automated mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If manual foam generation methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but the process becomes difficult to standardize and automate
Solution Approach 1:
The syringe serves multiple functions: it stores the sclerosing solution, generates the foam through manual agitation, and delivers the foam for injection. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall device while maintaining standardization, as syringes are universally available and their use is easily standardized in medical practice.
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 method enables the production of a stable, predictable foam that can be injected directly into veins, reducing the need for high drug doses and minimizing decomposition time, thus improving the efficacy of sclerotherapy treatments.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic drive unit configured to magnetically engage the foaming element
Implementation Method 2
a drive unit can alternatively be configured to electrostatically couple to said foaming element
Implementation Method 3
The foaming element can have one or more flow passages therein so that movement of the foaming element in the vascular treatment fluid tends to force the fluid through the one or more flow passages
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for generating foam are disclosed. The inventions can be used for generating foam for sclerotherapy. A foaming element can be agitated within a foaming chamber by a drive unit that does not touch the foaming element, but actuates it from outside the foaming chamber. The foaming element and drive unit can be magnetically coupled. A syringe can be used to form a foaming chamber.