Resilient Valve Element Stiffness for Hemodynamic Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art medical ports interfere with pressure transducers, causing erroneous blood pressure read-outs due to waveform distortion.
Innovation Solution
A medical valve with a resilient valve element and gland projections that maintain compressive contact with the valve housing, increasing the stiffness of the valve element and reducing waveform distortion as measured by the pressure transducer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional sampling port is used in the fluid transfer set, then the practitioner can draw blood or fluid samples from the patient, but the sampling port interferes with the pressure transducer causing erroneous blood pressure read-outs
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is segmented into multiple functional zones: a sampling port region, a pressure sensing region, and a fluid flow region. The sampling port is positioned and configured to allow blood withdrawal without interfering with the pressure transducer's measurement path, effectively separating the sampling function from the pressure measurement function while maintaining both capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
A specially designed valve structure acts as an intermediary component between the sampling port and the pressure transducer. This valve includes flow control elements and positioning features that mediate the interaction between sampling operations and pressure measurements, preventing direct interference while allowing both functions to coexist
2Ease of operation
If the valve element is made resilient to control fluid flow, then the valve can effectively stop and regulate flow, but the valve element becomes too flexible causing waveform distortion in pressure readings
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element exhibits local quality variations: it is resilient in regions where flow control is needed to enable effective opening and closing, but incorporates stiffer sections or support structures in regions adjacent to the pressure transducer where waveform accuracy is critical. This localized differentiation allows the valve to be both compliant for flow control and rigid enough to minimize distortion near the sensing point
Solution Approach 2:
The valve element may utilize composite material construction combining materials with different mechanical properties. The composite structure provides the necessary flexibility for flow control while incorporating stiffer components or reinforcement in specific areas to reduce waveform distortion, achieving both flow regulation and measurement accuracy
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 effectively reduces and removes artifacts from pressure-waveform readings, providing more accurate blood pressure measurements by minimizing waveform distortion.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient valve element sits within a housing interior and is configured to control fluid flow through the inlet. The resilient valve element has a body including a proximal portion that forms a normally closed aperture configured to open when actuated by a medical device
Implementation Method 2
The wall has a plurality of gland projections extending radially outwardly. The gland projections and the contact surface of the housing are configured to maintain compressive contact to apply a radially inwardly compressive force on the resilient valve element, thereby increasing the stiffness of the wall to reduce waveform distortion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A medical valve has a housing with an inlet housing and an outlet housing. The interior of the inlet housing and/ or the outlet housing has a contact surface. A resilient element sits within the housing and is configured to control fluid flow through the inlet. The resilient element has a proximal portion with a normally closed aperture configured to open when actuated by a medical device. The resilient element also has a distal portion adjacent to the outlet, and a central portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The central portion has a wall that defines a fluid chamber in the open mode and in the closed mode. The wall has at least one projection extending radially outward. The projection is configured to maintain compressive contact with the contact surface of the housing and to apply an inwardly compressive force on the resilient element, increasing the wall stiffness.