Pharyngeal Stimulation Shaft With Antimicrobial Secretion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dysphagia, a condition causing difficulty in swallowing, leads to complications such as aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and increased healthcare costs, with existing treatments being inadequate.
Innovation Solution
Electrical stimulation devices are used to stimulate nerves near the pharynx, promoting brain reorganization for swallowing control and delivering therapeutic agents to prevent pathogen colonization or remove pharyngeal substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If electrical stimulation devices are used to treat dysphagia, then swallowing function is improved, but the risk of pathogen colonization and aspiration pneumonia increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electrical stimulation therapy with antimicrobial treatment in a single integrated device. The device includes both stimulation electrodes and an antimicrobial agent delivery system, allowing simultaneous or sequential administration of both therapies to address both swallowing dysfunction and infection risk
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an antimicrobial agent as an intermediary substance that mediates between the electrical stimulation device and the pathogen threat. The antimicrobial agent acts as a protective intermediary that prevents pathogen colonization while the electrical stimulation restores swallowing function
2Ease of operation
If existing treatments for dysphagia are used, then swallowing difficulty is addressed, but complications such as aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges dysphagia treatment with complication prevention by integrating electrical stimulation for swallowing improvement with antimicrobial therapy for pneumonia prevention. This combined approach addresses both the primary symptom and potential complications simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by delivering antimicrobial agents before pathogen colonization can occur. The device proactively prevents infection risk associated with dysphagia treatment rather than treating infections after they develop
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods configured to treat disease using electrical stimulation and therapeutic agents are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a device of the present technology comprises a first elongated shaft configured to deliver supplemental nutrition to a patient suffering from dysphagia and a second elongated shaft configured to slidably receive the first elongated shaft. The second elongated shaft can include one or more conductive elements configured to deliver electrical stimulation to nerves at a first treatment site in a pharynx of the patient. In some embodiments, the second elongated shaft includes one or more therapeutic elements carrying a therapeutic agent configured to be positioned at or adjacent a second treatment site with a pooled secretion in the patient's pharynx. The therapeutic agent can be configured to prevent or inhibit colonization of the pooled secretion by one or more pathogens. In some embodiments, the second elongated shaft includes a lumen fluidically coupled to an aperture extending through a sidewall of the elongated shaft. The aperture can be configured to be positioned at or adjacent the second treatment site with the pooled secretion. The lumen and aperture can be configured to transport fluid therethrough along a longitudinal dimension of the device to deliver a therapeutic agent to the second treatment site and/or withdraw the pooled secretion from the second treatment site into the lumen.