Mouthpiece with External Cooling Chamber for Chemotherapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for cooling oral tissues during chemotherapy are inadequate for extended treatments, as they fail to maintain consistent temperature, leading to mucositis and reduced chemotherapy effectiveness, and are uncomfortable for patients, making it difficult to sleep and maintain treatment duration.
Innovation Solution
A mouthpiece designed with malleable top and bottom elements that fit closely around the gums and teeth, containing a cooling medium to reduce capillary blood flow, with an external chamber for storing a cooling solution and bladders to distribute the cooling effect uniformly, allowing for comfortable and continuous cooling during chemotherapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ice is periodically placed in the patient's mouth during chemotherapy, then cooling of oral tissues is achieved, but the method fails to maintain constant temperature for extended periods and requires constant replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthpiece contains an internal cooling medium (ice or cold gel) that autonomously maintains cooling without requiring external intervention or replacement during treatment. The patient simply retains the device in the mouth, and the self-contained cooling system continuously cools the oral tissues throughout the entire chemotherapy duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling medium is pre-loaded into the mouthpiece before treatment begins. The device is prepared in advance with sufficient cooling capacity to last the entire treatment period, eliminating the need for constant monitoring and replacement of ice during the procedure.
2Temperature
If ice is placed in the patient's mouth, then cooling effect is provided, but the patient experiences discomfort and difficulty sleeping
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthpiece is constructed from flexible, biocompatible materials that conform comfortably to the patient's oral anatomy. The flexible design prevents irritation to gums and teeth, allowing patients to wear the device continuously during treatment including during sleep without discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling effect is localized to specific areas of the oral cavity where it is most needed (gums, tongue, inner cheeks) while the rest of the mouthpiece remains at ambient temperature. This targeted cooling approach provides therapeutic benefit without causing excessive cold discomfort to the patient.
3Temperature
If ice is used for cooling, then vasoconstriction is achieved, but the cooling is not uniform across all oral tissues
Solution Approach 1:
The mouthpiece is divided into multiple cooling zones with separate cooling chambers or channels that distribute the cooling medium to different regions of the oral cavity. This segmented design ensures uniform cooling across all susceptible oral tissues including gums, tongue, and inner cheeks simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the mouthpiece are designed with varying thermal properties and cooling capacities tailored to the specific cooling needs of each oral tissue area. This ensures optimal and uniform cooling distribution across all tissues prone to mucositis.
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 mouthpiece effectively maintains a consistent cooling environment, reducing inflammation and oral sores, enabling prolonged chemotherapy treatments while ensuring patient comfort and relaxation.
Implementation Method 1
keeping the oral tissues cold during chemotherapy treatments causes vasoconstriction of the associated blood vessels which reduces the amount of chemotherapy agent flowing into this tissue
Implementation Method 2
a cooling medium contained within the top element and the bottom element and able to retain a cooling environment within the mouth
Data Source
AI summary
A mouthpiece having particular suitability for cooling oral tissue of a patient undergoing chemotherapy or other medical treatments in which reducing oral cavity temperature is beneficial. The mouthpiece includes a cooling medium contained within the top element and the bottom element and able to retain a cooling environment within the mouth, preferably sufficient to reduce capillary blood flow to the patient's mouth. In one embodiment, an external chamber extends from the front of the mouthpiece to house a cooling medium. A bladder is positioned inside the external chamber for storing a solution having a freezing temperature above the freezing point temperature of the cooling medium to assist in cooling the cooling medium. At least one breathing tube extends through the external chamber to permit a patient to breathe through the mouth when the mouthpiece is emplaced within the mouth in the operative close-fitting relationship.