Odor Delivery Device with Sliding Cover for Postoperative Delirium
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments and prevention methods for postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are ineffective, leading to significant morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare costs, with no established interventions to manage these common postoperative complications.
Innovation Solution
A device and method that provide a selectively odor-rich environment using a housing with multiple fragrance chambers and a sliding cover to emit predefined fragrances, combined with visual and auditory stimulation, to reduce or prevent POD and POCD by stimulating the patient's olfactory system before and after anesthesia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional treatments and prevention methods are used for postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction, then standard medical care is provided, but these methods are ineffective and lead to significant morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the therapeutic parameter from conventional pharmacological or standard medical interventions to olfactory stimulation using predefined fragrances. The system delivers specific scent profiles (e.g., floral, herbal, citrus) to patients experiencing postoperative delirium or cognitive dysfunction, representing a fundamental parameter change in treatment modality that achieves therapeutic effect where conventional methods fail
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fragrance chambers are included in the device, then the versatility and effectiveness of odor-rich environment provision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the fragrance storage system into multiple independent chambers, each containing a different predefined fragrance. This segmentation allows the system to provide diverse olfactory stimuli by activating specific chambers, achieving versatility without requiring a single complex multi-functional component. Each chamber operates independently, simplifying the control mechanism while expanding therapeutic options
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure serves multiple functions: it contains and organizes multiple fragrance chambers, provides structural support for the sliding cover mechanism, and facilitates the delivery of odor-rich environment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby managing complexity while achieving versatility in fragrance delivery
3Manufacturing precision
If a sliding cover mechanism is used to control fragrance emission, then the precision of odor delivery timing is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding cover transitions from a static enclosure to a dynamic control element that can be moved between positions to regulate fragrance emission. This dynamic mechanism allows precise timing control of odor delivery by enabling the system to switch between closed (no emission) and open (active emission) states, providing temporal precision in therapeutic delivery
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 odor-rich environment, combined with visual and auditory stimulation, has shown to attenuate anesthesia-induced cognitive impairment and pain, potentially reducing the incidence and severity of POD and POCD, as demonstrated by preliminary data from animal studies.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the plurality of chambers is configured to store one or more predefined fragrance therein and has a respective outlet formed on an outer wall of the housing
Implementation Method 2
The outer chamber is configured to slidably engage the housing such that the cover is configured to move between an open position and a closed position
Data Source
AI summary
A device for selectively providing an odor-rich environment includes a housing and a cover. The housing includes a central cavity and a plurality of chambers configured to store a predefined fragrance therein and having a respective outlet formed on an outer wall of the housing. The cover includes an exterior surface having at least one vent formed on the exterior surface. The exterior surface includes an interior sidewall and an exterior sidewall forming an inner chamber that slidably engages the housing such that the cover is configured to move between an open position and a closed position. Responsive to the cover being in the open position, the at least one vent is generally adjacent to the outlet of at least one of the plurality of chambers of the housing. The odor-rich environment can assist in preventing and/or treating postoperative delirium (POD) postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), and/or pain in a subject.