Microfluidic Interventional Catheter for Targeted Nebulized Drug Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nebulizers have poor nebulization effects and limited applicability, leading to inefficient medication delivery and potential safety risks due to medication damage to ductal organs during inhalation administration.
Innovation Solution
An interventional catheter with a microfluidic chip-based fluid mixing structure, featuring independent fluid inlets and a distribution structure, is used to nebulize fluids into droplets with controlled particle sizes, ensuring efficient delivery and minimizing side effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional inhalation nebulization is used, then medication can be administered to patients, but the medication cannot fully reach the lesions and causes damage to ductal organs along the way
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple independent fluid inlet channels (first fluid inlet for liquid medication, second fluid inlet for gas carrier) that merge at the distal end. This segmentation allows separate control of medication flow and gas flow, enabling precise delivery of nebulized medication directly to lesions while minimizing exposure of ductal organs to harmful medication concentrations
Solution Approach 2:
A microfluidic chip is introduced as an intermediary component within the catheter structure. This chip provides a controlled mixing chamber where liquid medication and gas carrier mix to form nebulized droplets before being delivered to the target site. The microfluidic structure ensures uniform droplet formation and directs the nebulized flow precisely to lesions, preventing direct contact of concentrated medication with ductal organs
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional nebulizer structure is used, then medication can be delivered, but the nebulization effect is poor and applicability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter design integrates multiple functions into a single device: it serves as both a fluid delivery system and a nebulization device. The microfluidic chip structure can handle different fluid viscosities and flow rates, making the device adaptable to various medication types while maintaining consistent nebulization performance. The independent fluid inlets allow flexible configuration for different treatment scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The microfluidic chip enables precise control of nebulization parameters including droplet size, gas-to-liquid ratio, and flow velocity. By adjusting these parameters, the device achieves optimal nebulization effect for different medication viscosities and treatment requirements, significantly improving both nebulization quality and device versatility
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 interventional catheter effectively nebulizes fluids into droplets with controlled particle sizes, improving medication delivery efficiency and reducing the risk of medication-induced damage to ductal organs.
Implementation Method 1
a microfluidic chip being provided in the fluid mixing structure, wherein the first fluid inlet is located at a proximal end side of the microfluidic chip, the second fluid inlet is located at a lateral side of the microfluidic chip, an interior of the microfluidic chip is configured with a chip channel structure which interconnects the outlet and each fluid inlet
Implementation Method 2
The interventional catheter effectively nebulizes fluids into droplets with controlled particle sizes
Data Source
AI summary
A nebulized medication delivery method includes: providing an interventional catheter, nebulizing a fluid containing a therapeutic substance through the interventional catheter and delivering nebulized fluid to a lesion site; wherein the fluid includes a liquid-phase fluid and a gas-phase fluid, and at least one of the liquid-phase fluid and the gas-phase fluid carries the therapeutic substance.