Modular Implantable Pump Segmentation for Calibration Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing implantable medical pumps face challenges in calibration and contamination risks due to textured surfaces, which are difficult to clean and can lead to inaccurate calibration and potential contamination during the calibration process.

Innovation Solution

A modular design for implantable medical pumps that includes a calibration method using smooth-surfaced components for calibration, allowing for accurate calibration without exposing textured surfaces to contamination, and a system with textured surfaces for blood contact that promotes biologic layer formation, with inflow cannulas and pump covers having textured surfaces for blood contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If textured surfaces are used on blood-contacting components to promote biologic layer formation, then biocompatibility is improved, but calibration accuracy deteriorates due to contamination risks

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebiocompatibilityVSAvoidcalibration accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pump system is divided into modular components: a reusable pump body and disposable blood-contacting components (inflow cannula, pump cover). The disposable components include textured surfaces for biocompatibility, while the pump body remains clean for accurate calibration. This segmentation allows the textured components to be replaced after each use, eliminating contamination accumulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inflow cannula and pump cover are designed as disposable components that are discarded after a single use. These disposable parts contain the textured surfaces that promote biologic layer formation, while the expensive pump body with sensitive calibration is preserved and reused. This approach prevents contamination of the calibration system while maintaining biocompatibility.

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

2Reliability

If textured surfaces are used on removable components, then biologic layer growth is promoted, but cleaning difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebiologic layer formationVSAvoidcleaning ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Components requiring textured surfaces for biologic layer formation (inflow cannula, pump cover) are designed as disposable items that are discarded after single use. This eliminates the need for complex cleaning processes while maintaining the biocompatibility benefits of textured surfaces.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system separates blood-contacting components with textured surfaces from the pump body. The removable components can be disposed of after use, avoiding the need to clean textured surfaces that are difficult to sanitize while maintaining biologic layer formation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Measurement precision

If modular design with disposable components is implemented, then calibration accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pump system is segmented into a reusable pump body and disposable blood-contacting components. This modular design allows the pump body to be calibrated once and reused, while the disposable components are pre-packaged and attached during each procedure, simplifying the overall process despite the modular structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pump body is designed as a universal platform that can work with different disposable components (inflow cannulas, pump covers). This universality allows a single calibrated pump body to serve multiple patients and procedures, reducing the need for repeated calibration while maintaining accuracy through the consistent modular interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 modular design enables accurate calibration without contamination risks and minimizes exposure to blood of smooth surfaces during implantation, ensuring effective and safe operation of the implantable medical pump.

Implementation Method 1

textured surfaces that promote growth of a biologic layer on surfaces in the blood flow path

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBiologic layer formation: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP2822614B1Modular implantable medical pump
Publication Date: 2016.12.28 TC1 LLC
  • EP2822614B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP2822614B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP2822614B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

An implantable medical pump system can include a blood pump comprising a pump housing defining a passage therethrough and a rotor within the passage. The blood pump further includes one or more elements at least partially contained within the housing adapted to actuate the rotor to drive fluid though the passage. The pump housing includes at least one coupling feature. The system further includes an inflow cannula defining a lumen therethrough. The inflow cannula is adapted to be mechanically coupled to the at least one coupling feature.