Portable Battery-Operated Centrifuge for Point-of-Care PRP Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) require expensive, complex equipment and skilled operators, limiting their use to facilities with adequate resources and expertise, and lack the ability to be used at the point of care.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained, portable, battery-operated centrifugal separation unit that quickly separates blood components into PRP/PPP using a motor-driven centrifuge chamber with automated valve control, allowing for easy operation and disposal, suitable for use in various healthcare settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized centrifuge equipment and skilled operators are used, then separation reliability is improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable centrifuge chambers that are pre-prepared with all necessary components and instructions. These single-use chambers eliminate the need for complex, expensive, reusable equipment while maintaining separation reliability through standardized, factory-quality construction. The disposable nature simplifies the overall system by removing cleaning, maintenance, and calibration requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The centrifuge chambers are designed to be self-contained with automated valve control systems that require minimal operator intervention. The chambers include built-in controls for centrifugal separation parameters and automated mechanisms for collecting separated blood components, reducing the need for skilled operators while maintaining reliable separation results.
2Manufacturing precision
If specialized centrifuge equipment is used, then separation precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable centrifuge chambers are pre-assembled with precise internal geometry and pre-programmed control mechanisms, ensuring consistent separation precision without requiring complex operation. The chambers come with built-in instructions and require only simple user actions such as loading the chamber and initiating the separation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The centrifuge chambers are pre-prepared in the factory with all necessary components, including pre-positioned valves, pre-configured collection chambers, and pre-set centrifugal separation parameters. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for operators to configure complex settings, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining precision through standardized manufacturing.
3Reliability
If complex centrifuge systems are used, then separation reliability is improved, but portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable centrifuge chambers are designed as compact, self-contained units that can be easily transported and used at the point of care. Each chamber is a lightweight, single-use device that maintains reliable separation performance without requiring connection to large, heavy, permanent centrifuge equipment. The chambers can be disposed of after a single use, eliminating the need for bulky infrastructure.
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
Enables efficient, reliable, and reproducible separation of blood components at the point of care without specialized equipment, facilitating immediate application of PRP/PPP for medical treatments.
Implementation Method 1
A self-contained, portable, battery-operated centrifugal separation unit that quickly separates blood components into PRP/PPP using a motor-driven centrifuge chamber
Data Source
AI summary
Centrifuges are useful to, among other things, remove red blood cells from whole blood and retain platelets and other factors in a reduced volume of plasma. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) and or platelet poor plasma (PPP) can be obtained rapidly and is ready for immediate injection into the host. Embodiments may include valves, operated manually or automatically, to open ports that discharge the excess red blood cells and the excess plasma into separate receivers while retaining the platelets and other factors in the centrifuge chamber. High speeds used allow simple and small embodiments to be used at the patient's side during surgical procedures. The embodiments can also be used for the separation of liquids or slurries in other fields such as, for example, the separation of pigments or lubricants.