Medical Fluid Injection Manifold Sensor Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical fluid injection devices face challenges in accurately monitoring hemodynamic pressure during procedures due to the high viscosity of contrast media, which can damage pressure sensors and lead to cross-contamination issues, necessitating the use of expensive, high-resolution sensors that are often disposed of after a single use.

Innovation Solution

A fluid injection manifold with separate pathways for contrast media and diluent, incorporating valves to isolate the pressure sensor from high pressures and allow selective fluid communication, enabling accurate hemodynamic pressure measurement using a low viscosity fluid column, and a disposable design to prevent cross-contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a pressure sensor is placed in direct fluid communication with the catheter to measure hemodynamic pressure, then pressure measurement capability is provided, but the high viscosity contrast media can damage the pressure sensor and lead to cross-contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehemodynamic pressure measurementVSAvoidsensor damage and cross-contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the fluid pathway into separate channels: a high-pressure contrast media injection pathway and a low-pressure hemodynamic monitoring pathway. The pressure sensor is positioned only in the diluent pathway, isolated from the high-pressure contrast media injection, thereby preventing sensor damage and cross-contamination while maintaining pressure measurement capability through fluid communication with the patient via the diluent line.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Diluent (saline) serves as an intermediary fluid that transmits hemodynamic pressure from the patient to the pressure sensor without exposing the sensor to high-pressure contrast media. The diluent pathway acts as a protective intermediary, allowing accurate pressure measurement while shielding the sensor from harmful high-pressure contrast media exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If high-resolution pressure sensors are used to obtain accurate pressure data, then measurement precision is improved, but cost increases and single-use disposal is required to avoid cross-contamination

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure data accuracyVSAvoidsensor cost and single-use disposal
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies the disposable principle to the entire fluid manifold and pressure sensor assembly rather than just high-cost sensors. By making the entire patient-contact fluid pathway disposable at lower cost, the system enables safe reuse of expensive high-resolution pressure sensors across multiple patients, reducing overall costs while maintaining measurement precision and preventing cross-contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The diluent pathway serves as a protective intermediary barrier between the patient and the pressure sensor. This intermediary arrangement allows the use of lower-resolution, reusable sensors by ensuring that only low-pressure diluent contacts the sensor, not high-pressure contrast media or patient blood, thereby reducing sensor cost and enabling reuse without cross-contamination risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If contrast media is used to communicate patient pressure to the sensor, then pressure measurement is enabled, but the high viscosity of contrast media degrades pressure signal accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure signal accuracyVSAvoidhigh viscosity of contrast media
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Diluent (saline) is used as an intermediary fluid in the pressure transmission pathway between the patient and the pressure sensor. This low-viscosity diluent replaces high-viscosity contrast media in the sensor communication line, significantly improving pressure signal accuracy by reducing viscous damping effects while still allowing accurate hemodynamic pressure measurement through the fluid column.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 accurate and safe hemodynamic pressure monitoring while preventing sensor damage and ensuring sterility between patient procedures, reducing costs by allowing the use of lower resolution sensors and minimizing cross-contamination risks.

Implementation Method 1

The pressure sensor may sense the hemodynamic pressure of the patient through a column of fluid extending through the catheter to the pressure sensor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure transmission through fluid column: Pascal's Law

Implementation Method 2

The fluid injection manifold may have valves positioned between fluid pressurizing units of the contrast injection device and the tubing system extending to the patient

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectValve flow control: Valve

Data Source

PatentEP3060274B1Medical fluid injection manifold
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 ACIST MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
  • EP3060274B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3060274B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3060274B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A powered medical fluid injector may have a disposable medical fluid injection manifold that controls fluid routing between the injector and a patient line and also controls fluid flow to a pressure sensor contained within the manifold. In one example, the medical fluid injection manifold includes a manifold housing having at least two inlets for different pressurized medical fluids and at least two corresponding outlets. The medical fluid injection manifold may also have a pressure sensor configured to measure a hemodynamic pressure of a patient. The pressure sensor may be positioned within the manifold housing and in selective fluid communication with the one of the outlet ports of the manifold housing.