Pericardial Flushing System with Clot Trap and Buffer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current postoperative flushing systems for wounds and body cavities, particularly the pericardial cavity, face challenges in accurately managing blood loss and clot accumulation, leading to complications like cardiac tamponade and increased morbidity and mortality rates due to inefficiencies in blood evacuation and measurement accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A flushing system with a buffer container equipped with a clot trap, air-liquid separation mechanism, and flow rate control, which buffers effusion liquid to prevent clots from exiting and ensures a steady flow for precise hematocrit measurements, thereby reducing postoperative bleeding and the risk of cardiac tamponade.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If effusion liquid is continuously monitored for hematocrit measurements, then blood loss can be tracked in real-time, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to clots and air bubbles in the effusion liquid
Solution Approach 1:
A buffer container is introduced as an intermediary component between the effusion liquid source and the hematocrit sensor. This buffer container temporarily stores effusion liquid and allows it to settle, separating clots and air bubbles from the liquid phase before the liquid reaches the sensor for measurement. This intermediary buffer zone ensures that only clean, settled effusion liquid contacts the sensor, maintaining measurement accuracy and reliability.
2Productivity
If chest drains are used to evacuate blood from the pericardial cavity, then blood removal is achieved, but the system fails when clots develop rapidly and clog the drains
Solution Approach 1:
The clot trap component extracts and removes clots from the effusion liquid stream before the liquid reaches the chest drain or sensor. By placing a clot trap in the effusion liquid pathway, clots are physically separated and retained in the trap, preventing them from clogging the drain or interfering with hematocrit measurements. This extraction of harmful clot elements maintains the reliability of the drainage system.
3Speed
If effusion liquid flows rapidly from the pericardial cavity, then blood evacuation speed is increased, but measurement accuracy decreases due to turbulent flow affecting sensor readings
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer container provides a cushioning zone where rapidly flowing effusion liquid can decelerate and settle before reaching the measurement sensor. The buffer volume absorbs the kinetic energy of the incoming liquid, allowing particles to settle and flow to become more laminar. This beforehand cushioning ensures that even when large volumes of effusion liquid are evacuated quickly, the liquid reaching the sensor does so at a controlled, steady rate suitable for accurate measurement.
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 effectively reduces postoperative bleeding, enhances the accuracy of blood loss measurements, and minimizes the risk of cardiac tamponade by ensuring efficient blood evacuation and precise hematocrit analysis, improving clinical outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
the buffer container is configured for air-liquid-separation
Implementation Method 2
the buffer container comprises an (optional) clot trap configured for preventing clots included in the effusion liquid being received from the wound and/or the body cavity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a flushing system (1, 200, 300, 400, 500) configured to flush a wound and/or a body cavity, in particular the pericardial cavity (PC), of a patient, wherein the system (1, 200, 300, 400, 500) comprises: an infusion liquid outlet (2) to connect a first tube (4) having an infusion liquid lumen to guide a flow of infusion liquid from the system (1, 200, 300, 400, 500) to the wound and/or the body cavity, in particular the pericardial cavity (PC), an effusion liquid inlet (6) to connect to a second tube (8) having an effusion liquid lumen to guide the effusion liquid flow from the wound and/or the body cavity, in particular the pericardial cavity (PC), to the system (1, 200, 300, 400, 500), a buffer container (10) having a buffer volume and comprising a buffer inlet (12) to receive effusion liquid from the wound and/or the body cavity, in particular the pericardial cavity (PC), and a first buffer outlet (14) to output the received effusion liquid, a flow rate control system to control the flow rate of the effusion liquid output from the buffer container (10), wherein the flow rate control system comprises: a control unit (16) to provide one or more control signals, a first pump device (18) for pumping effusion liquid from the buffer container (10) to one or more effusion liquid container (20) at an effusion liquid flow rate, wherein the effusion liquid flow rate is adjustable by the control signals of the control unit (16), wherein the buffer container (10) comprises a clot trap (22) configured for preventing clots included in the effusion liquid being received from the wound and/or the body cavity, in particular the pericardial cavity (PC), from exiting the buffer container (10) via the first buffer outlet (14), and/or wherein the buffer container (10) is configured for air-liquid-separation, and/or configured with a safety bypass, and/or configured for receiving liquid gushes.