Modular Medical Pump System With Segmented Controller And Disposable Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical pumps are costly and complex, requiring skilled professionals for programming and handling multiple medicaments, which can lead to errors and increased operating costs due to the need for long-lived mechanical components and potential medicament confusion.
Innovation Solution
A modular medical pump system with a separable pump unit and controller, allowing for easy replacement and pre-attachment to drug kits, featuring wireless communication, line sensors, and tamper-resistant designs to minimize costs and reduce the risk of errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If medical pumps use long-lived mechanical components to ensure reliability, then the pump reliability improves, but the manufacturing cost and operating cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into two distinct segments: a reusable controller containing expensive, long-lived electronic components and a disposable pump unit containing mechanical components. This segmentation allows the mechanical parts to be replaced frequently at low cost while the expensive controller remains in use, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump unit is designed as a disposable, low-cost component that is replaced rather than repaired. This eliminates the need for expensive, long-lived mechanical components in the pump unit itself, while the reusable controller maintains system reliability through its durable electronic components.
2Measurement precision
If medical pumps are programmed manually by healthcare professionals to ensure proper dosage, then the dosage accuracy improves, but the operating cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump unit is pre-programmed at the pharmacy with drug-specific information and dosage parameters before dispensing. This self-service approach eliminates the need for healthcare professionals to manually program the pump, reducing time consumption and operating costs while maintaining dosage accuracy through pre-validated programming.
Solution Approach 2:
All programming and configuration of the pump unit is performed in advance at the pharmacy during the drug dispensing process. This preliminary action ensures dosage accuracy is established before the pump reaches the patient, while eliminating the time-consuming manual programming step at the point of care.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate pumps are used to deliver multiple medicaments to ensure simultaneous delivery, then the delivery capability improves, but the device complexity and risk of medicament confusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed as a universal platform that can manage multiple pump units simultaneously through standardized interfaces. This multi-functionality allows a single controller to handle multiple medicaments without requiring separate dedicated systems, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the capability to deliver multiple drugs concurrently or sequentially.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular medical pump system provides separate pump units that may be pre-associated with flexible tubes. Multiple pump units may be installed in a controller that coordinates operation of the pump units for delivery of multiple medicaments to a patient. The pump units may carry drug information and the controller may hold patient information allowing drug delivery and interaction to be assessed by the controller.