Modular Implantable Pump Assembly for Reduced Shear Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ventricular assist devices (VADs) face challenges such as high shear stress, thrombosis, and durability issues due to high-speed impellers and the need for invasive surgery, with modular pump assemblies presenting difficulties in assembly and wire management, limiting their effectiveness and adoption.
Innovation Solution
A modular mammalian body implantable fluid flow influencing device featuring a docking unit and functional units that can be assembled in vivo, with a control wire mechanism for precise positioning and anchoring, allowing for multiple pumping units to operate in parallel to reduce shear stress and enable minimally invasive implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed impellers are used in VADs to increase pumping capacity, then productivity is improved, but shear stress and thrombosis risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single high-speed impeller into multiple lower-speed impellers working in parallel. Each impeller operates at a reduced speed, thereby decreasing the shear stress and thrombosis risk while collectively maintaining the required pumping capacity through parallel operation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If modular pump assemblies are used to reduce shear stress, then object-affected harmful factors are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested configuration where multiple impellers are arranged concentrically or in series within a single pump housing. This nesting approach allows multiple lower-speed impellers to be integrated into a compact modular assembly, reducing shear stress while minimizing the increase in device complexity through space-efficient design.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple functional units are assembled in vivo, then ease of manufacture is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates pre-marked alignment features, guide rails, and positioning indicators on the functional units before implantation. These preliminary markings and structural guides facilitate accurate in vivo assembly by providing visual and mechanical references, thereby easing the assembly process while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A docking unit for use in a modular mammalian body implantable device. The docketing unit comprising an elongated body. The body has: a longitudinal axis, at least one receiving surface extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end, and at least one proximal guide hole. Each receiving surface has at least one proximal guide hole associated therewith. The docking unit is dimensioned and shaped to be deliverable to an implantation site within a conduit of a conduit system of the mammalian body via a catheter.