Negative-Pressure Polyurethane Bilayer for Post-Operative Ileus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Postoperative ileus (POI) and post-operative edema significantly impact post-surgical recovery, leading to prolonged hospital stays and increased costs, with existing treatments being inadequate in effectively preventing or alleviating these conditions.
Innovation Solution
A bilayer apparatus comprising foam strips enveloped in a polyurethane bilayer is applied to the bowels, with negative vacuum pressure therapy to prevent and alleviate post-operative edema and POI, utilizing a fluidly connected drape for removing blood and fluid from the abdominal cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional treatments (ambulation, laxatives, prokinetic agents) are used for POI, then bowel function may gradually recover, but hospital stay is extended and recovery time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional pharmacological and mechanical treatments (laxatives, prokinetic agents, ambulation) with electrical stimulation therapy. The electrical stimulation device directly stimulates bowel muscles and nerves to restore motility, substituting chemical and physical methods with an electrical field-based approach that acts more directly and rapidly on the gastrointestinal tract.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of bowel stimulation by applying controlled electrical fields with specific voltage, current, and pulse duration parameters. This electrical stimulation alters the electrical potential across bowel muscle membranes, triggering action potentials and muscle contractions that restore motility without requiring the body's natural chemical signaling pathways or mechanical movement.
2Reliability
If surgery is performed on the GI tract, then necessary surgical treatment is achieved, but post-operative edema and POI severity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies electrical stimulation therapy in the immediate post-operative period to counteract the development of edema and POI before they fully establish. By stimulating bowel motility and promoting fluid movement early after surgery, the treatment prevents the accumulation of edematous fluid and the onset of complete bowel paralysis, acting as a preventive measure against these harmful post-operative effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the electrical energy applied to the bowel into beneficial mechanical contractions and fluid movement. The electrical stimulation transforms electrical fields into muscle contractions that promote peristalsis, and simultaneously converts edematous fluid accumulation into directed fluid movement through stimulated bowel contractions, turning the harmful edema into a beneficial flushing effect.
3Reliability
If extended hospital stay is required for POI management, then patient monitoring and care are improved, but healthcare costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical stimulation device is designed to be relatively simple and potentially portable, allowing for monitoring and treatment that could be performed with minimal staff intervention. The device automatically delivers programmed electrical stimulation sequences, reducing the need for continuous manual assessment and adjustment by healthcare providers, thereby enabling faster safe discharge while maintaining care quality.
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 apparatus enhances bowel recovery by reducing edema and POI, thereby shortening hospital stays and improving patient outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
applying negative vacuum pressure therapy to the plurality of strips
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for preventing the onset and progression of post-operative ileus and for preventing and/or alleviating post-operative edema. In one example, a fan-like polyurethane heat-sealed bilayer that surrounds a plurality of wedge-shaped foam strips that join at a collecting foam portion, is subjected to a negative pressure provided through silicone tubing which is sealed to the perforated collecting foam portion. Such negative pressure applied for approximately 48-72 hours after closure of the abdomen, helps prevent and/or alleviate post-operative edema and ileus, which in turn enhances patient recovery, and reduces the length of their hospital stay.