Shunt Body Sensor Implant for Left Atrial Pressure Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring cardiac pressure, particularly in the left atrium, are inadequate for early detection of congestive heart failure, as they often rely on invasive procedures, are uncomfortable for patients, and may be influenced by lung-related conditions, leading to delayed or unreliable symptom recognition and treatment.
Innovation Solution
A sensor implant device with a shunt body forming a fluid conduit, equipped with anchor structures and sensor transducers that project into channel areas, allowing for direct monitoring of cardiac pressures via a non-invasive, wireless, and biocompatible system, capable of detecting pressure changes before symptoms manifest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive procedures are used to monitor cardiac pressure, then measurement precision is improved, but patient comfort and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate functional components: a shunt body for fluid conduit, anchor structures for securement, and sensor transducers for measurement. This segmentation allows the sensing function to be integrated into an implantable device that provides continuous monitoring without repeated invasive procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor transducer acts as an intermediary element that projects into the channel area to detect pressure changes in the left atrium through the shunt body, enabling indirect measurement that avoids direct invasive catheterization while maintaining measurement accuracy
2Measurement precision
If invasive monitoring procedures are used, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to lung-related conditions influencing results
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor transducer positioned within the shunt body's channel area serves as an intermediary that directly measures left atrial pressure through the fluid conduit, isolating the measurement from confounding lung-related conditions that affect external monitoring methods
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical sensor transducer replaces complex invasive catheter-based mechanical monitoring systems with a miniaturized sensor that can be implanted and provides more reliable direct pressure measurement less susceptible to external physiological variations
3Measurement precision
If sensor transducers project into channel areas, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor transducer is merged with the shunt body structure, where the shunt body serves both as a fluid conduit for pressure transmission and as a mounting structure for the sensor. This integration reduces overall device complexity compared to separate sensing and shunting components
Solution Approach 2:
The shunt body performs multiple functions: it provides a fluid conduit for pressure transmission, serves as a structural framework, and supports the sensor transducer. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, simplifying the overall device design
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 proactive intervention and early detection of congestive heart failure by providing accurate, continuous monitoring of left atrial pressure, reducing hospital readmissions and improving patient health outcomes by guiding medication titration and preventing fluid buildup in the lungs.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor transducer of the first sensor device projects into a channel area defined by a radial boundary around the axis of the fluid conduit
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor implant device includes a shunt body that forms a fluid conduit, the fluid conduit having an axis, a first anchor structure associated with a first end of the shunt body, and a first sensor device coupled to the first anchor structure such that a sensor transducer of the first sensor device projects into a channel area defined by a radial boundary around the axis of the fluid conduit, the radial boundary being defined by the fluid conduit.