Implantable Oxygen Reservoir for High-Density Cell Viability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implanted medical devices face challenges in providing sufficient oxygen to high-density functional cells, leading to cell loss or death due to insufficient oxygen supply, especially in macro-encapsulation and dense cell transplants, which compromises their viability and functionality.
Innovation Solution
An implantable medical device with a separate oxygen reservoir and a flexible functional cells unit, where the oxygen reservoir is a pressurized unit that can be replenished subcutaneously and includes an oxygen generator using electrodes and a power source for continuous oxygen supply, ensuring the cells receive sufficient oxygen through a distributor with a high surface area for diffusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high density of functional cells is implanted to treat disorders effectively, then the treatment efficacy is improved, but the oxygen supply becomes insufficient leading to cell death
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional modules: an oxygen reservoir chamber, a functional cell chamber, and connecting channels. This segmentation allows independent optimization of oxygen storage and cell housing, enabling high cell density while ensuring dedicated oxygen supply pathways that prevent oxygen depletion even in dense cell configurations
Solution Approach 2:
Oxygen is pre-stored in the oxygen reservoir chamber before cell implantation. This preliminary action ensures that oxygen is immediately available when cells are implanted at high density, eliminating the lag time that would otherwise lead to oxygen deprivation and cell death in the initial critical period
2Object-affected harmful factors
If macro-encapsulation is used to protect cells from immune system, then immune protection is improved, but oxygen diffusion rate becomes too low to sustain cells
Solution Approach 1:
A dedicated oxygen reservoir and delivery system acts as an intermediary between the external environment and the encapsulated cells. This intermediary oxygen supply system bypasses the diffusion limitation imposed by the encapsulation barrier, delivering oxygen directly to cells at rates sufficient to sustain high-density populations while maintaining immune protection
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates a pressurized oxygen reservoir that uses pneumatic pressure to actively push oxygen through delivery channels to the cell chamber. This active pneumatic delivery overcomes the passive diffusion limitation of the encapsulation barrier, ensuring adequate oxygen flux reaches the cells despite the protective barrier
3Device complexity
If natural oxygen diffusion from body tissue is used, then the device simplicity is maintained, but the oxygen supply amount is insufficient for dense cells
Solution Approach 1:
Oxygen is pre-loaded into the reservoir chamber at high concentration before implantation. This preliminary oxygen storage creates a built-in oxygen reservoir that actively supplies oxygen to cells, eliminating reliance on insufficient natural diffusion and providing adequate oxygen quantities for dense cell populations
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses highly concentrated oxygen (up to 100% oxygen) stored under pressure in the reservoir, representing a 'strong oxidant' approach. This concentrated oxygen supply dramatically increases the oxygen delivery capacity compared to ambient air diffusion, providing sufficient oxygen flux to sustain high-density functional cells without complex external life support systems
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 solution ensures the viability and functionality of high-density implanted cells by maintaining a constant and sufficient oxygen supply, reducing the risk of cell death and improving the comfort and flexibility of the implant, allowing it to adapt to body movements while minimizing immune response.
Implementation Method 1
electrodes that produce oxygen by electrolysis
Implementation Method 2
a distributor with a high surface area for diffusion
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable medical system that comprises a gas unit for supplying gas that is essentially oxygen and at least one functional cells unit configured to receive oxygen from the gas unit so as to maintain the cells in a viable condition. The cells unit is flexible. Several embodiments are disclosed.