MRI Substance Delivery Device Reducing Tubing Waste

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Solution Overview

Problem

MRI-guided substance delivery systems often result in significant waste due to the use of long tubing, which leads to inefficiencies in delivering medical substances to precise locations within the body, such as deep brain regions, resulting in high costs and potential trauma to the patient.

Innovation Solution

A substance delivery device comprising a tubular body with a plunger assembly and a hollow needle, where a syringe with a slave fluid is used to pierce a substance cartridge, allowing for precise delivery through a cannula, potentially reducing tubing length and minimizing waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If long lengths of tubing are used in MRI-guided substance delivery systems, then the system can reach deep brain locations and other hard-to-access regions, but this results in large dead spaces that waste expensive medical substances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetubing lengthVSAvoidmedical substance waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery system employs nested components where the cartridge is inserted into the tubular body, the plunger assembly is received within the tubular body, and the hollow needle is secured within the tubular body. This nesting arrangement minimizes the overall footprint and reduces dead space while maintaining the ability to reach deep brain locations through the cannula.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the substance storage function into a separate cartridge that can be inserted into the tubular body. This allows the tubing length to be minimized for the delivery path while the cartridge can be positioned closer to the injection site, reducing dead space and substance waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If long tubing is used to deliver substances to deep brain locations, then the delivery system can reach the target region, but the amount of substance wasted in the tubing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery accuracy to target regionVSAvoidsubstance waste in tubing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cartridge acts as an intermediary component between the substance source and the delivery cannula. By positioning the cartridge near the injection site and using a short cannula for final delivery, the system maintains reliable delivery accuracy to deep brain locations while minimizing the volume of tubing that contains wasted substance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery system is segmented into distinct functional components: the cartridge for substance storage and preparation, the tubular body for structural support and guidance, and the cannula for final substance delivery. This segmentation allows optimization of each component's length and function, ensuring accurate delivery while reducing overall substance waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If a reusable substance cartridge is used, then the device can be refilled and used multiple times, but there is a risk of contamination if not properly sterilized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecartridge reusabilityVSAvoidcontamination risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention provides for both disposable and reusable cartridge options. The disposable cartridge eliminates contamination risk by being discarded after single use, while the reusable cartridge can be sterilized and refilled. The tubular body and needle assembly are designed to accommodate either type of cartridge, providing versatility in the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 system enables accurate and efficient delivery of substances to targeted regions within the body, reducing waste and minimizing patient trauma while maintaining MRI compatibility.

Implementation Method 1

User activation of the syringe causes the slave fluid to move a substance cartridge positioned within the tubular body via the plunger assembly such that the substance cartridge is pierced by the piercing end of the hollow needle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The plunger assembly includes a plunger that is in slideable sealing engagement with an inside wall of the tubular body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSealing engagement:

Data Source

PatentUS9498575B2Substance delivery devices, systems and methods

Publication Date: 2016.11.22 CLEARPOINT NEURO INC

AI summary

A substance delivery device includes an elongated tubular body having opposing proximal and distal ends, a plunger assembly slidably received within the tubular body at the proximal end thereof, and a hollow needle secured within the tubular body at the distal end thereof. The tubular body includes a longitudinal opening located between the proximal and distal ends that is adapted to allow a substance cartridge to be inserted within the tubular body. The plunger assembly includes a plunger that is in slideable sealing engagement with an inside wall of the tubular body, an engagement head positioned proximate an opposite end of the longitudinal opening, and a rod extending between and connecting the plunger and engagement head.