Multi-Needle Spinal Disc Delivery Device for Uniform Agent Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical delivery devices, such as needles, often require frequent repositioning to distribute medical agents uniformly within a tissue volume, leading to patient discomfort and potential tissue damage due to pressure buildup, especially in non-vascularized tissues like the spinal disc nucleus pulposus.
Innovation Solution
The development of medical devices featuring multiple elongate tissue-penetrating members with fluid channels and orifices, which allow simultaneous delivery of medical agents and removal of tissue fluid to prevent pressure buildup, enabling regional and uniform distribution within the spinal disc nucleus without the need for device repositioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single stream delivery device is used, then the device structure is simple, but the agent distribution uniformity is poor and frequent repositioning is required
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is segmented into multiple tissue-penetrating members (needles) with multiple orifices each, replacing a single stream device. This segmentation allows simultaneous delivery of medical agent to multiple sites within the tissue volume, achieving uniform distribution without requiring frequent repositioning of the device.
2Manufacturing precision
If frequent repositioning is performed to distribute agent uniformly, then the agent distribution uniformity improves, but patient discomfort increases and tissue damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the delivery function across multiple needles with multiple orifices, the device achieves uniform agent distribution in a single positioning event. This eliminates the need for frequent repositioning, thereby reducing patient discomfort and preventing tissue damage that would result from repeated needle insertions and movements.
3Quantity of substance
If medical agent is delivered into a closed volume like spinal disc, then the therapeutic effect is achieved, but pressure build-up occurs causing delivery difficulty and potential complications
Solution Approach 1:
The device extracts or removes tissue fluid from the closed volume (spinal disc) through dedicated fluid removal channels while simultaneously delivering the medical agent. This extraction of excess fluid prevents pressure build-up within the closed disc space, facilitating continued delivery of the medical agent without causing delivery difficulty or patient complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery device merges multiple functions into a single integrated system: delivering medical agent through delivery channels and removing tissue fluid through removal channels simultaneously. This combination of delivery and removal functions allows the device to maintain pressure balance within the closed disc volume, enabling effective medical agent delivery without harmful pressure accumulation.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple tissue-penetrating members with fluid channels are used, then agent distribution uniformity improves and pressure build-up is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into multiple tissue-penetrating members with integrated fluid channels and orifices. This segmentation enables uniform agent distribution across multiple delivery sites while the integrated design of each member (combining delivery and removal functions) manages device complexity by providing a modular, systematic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tissue-penetrating member is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both medical agent delivery channels and tissue fluid removal channels within the same structural element. This universality allows the device to achieve uniform agent distribution and prevent pressure build-up simultaneously, while the standardized multi-functional design of each member helps manage overall device complexity through functional integration.
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
This solution facilitates effective, uniform delivery of medical agents to multiple sites within a tissue volume while minimizing pressure and tissue damage, enhancing the distribution of therapeutic agents in challenging anatomical locations like the spinal disc nucleus pulposus.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the tissue-penetrating members has a fluid channel and a plurality of orifices in communication with its fluid channel for expelling medical agent delivered through the fluid channel
Implementation Method 2
the fluid channels of the tissue-penetrating members are in fluid communication with a medical agent supply reservoir common to all of them... configured to simultaneously remove fluid from the tissue volume into which a medical agent is being delivered
Data Source
AI summary
Described are novel methods for delivering a medical agent to a plurality of locations within a patient tissue volume such as the interior space of a spinal disc, and also for removing material therefrom during medical agent delivery to enhance the delivery. Also described are medical delivery devices such as needle assemblies configured to facilitate the regional delivery of medical agents to patient tissue.