Single Lumen Blood Connection Decoupling Flow Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional extracorporeal blood treatment systems require a dual-lumen connection for adequate blood flow, which can be invasive and complicated, and do not allow for decoupling of blood flow rates during treatment, limiting access size and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a single-lumen connection for blood treatment, employing batch processing to decouple blood flow rates during treatment from withdrawal and infusion, allowing higher flow rates for treatment while maintaining lower rates for patient access, utilizing a primary module with a legacy filtration system and a recirculating blood processing loop controlled by a pump and controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a dual-lumen connection is used for adequate blood flow, then sufficient blood flow rate is achieved, but patient access complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the blood flow process into three distinct stages: withdrawal stage (first flow rate), treatment stage (second flow rate), and infusion stage (third flow rate). This allows each stage to operate at its optimal flow rate independently, enabling adequate treatment flow through a single lumen without requiring dual-lumen access for simultaneous withdrawal and infusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic action by sequentially performing blood withdrawal, treatment, and infusion in distinct time-based stages. During the treatment stage, blood is recirculated through the filtration device at high flow rate, while withdrawal and infusion occur at lower flow rates during separate stages, eliminating the need for dual-lumen access.
2Device complexity
If a single lumen connection is used, then access complexity is reduced, but adequate blood flow rate for treatment cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the blood flow process into three distinct stages: withdrawal stage (first flow rate), treatment stage (second flow rate), and infusion stage (third flow rate). This allows each stage to operate at its optimal flow rate independently, enabling adequate treatment flow through a single lumen without requiring dual-lumen access for simultaneous withdrawal and infusion.
Solution Approach 2:
A blood reservoir serves as an intermediary component that decouples the withdrawal and infusion processes from the treatment process. The reservoir allows blood to be stored and recirculated, enabling the treatment device to operate at high flow rates while the patient access points only need to handle lower flow rates during withdrawal and infusion stages.
3Productivity
If higher blood flow rate is used for treatment, then clearance efficiency is improved, but required access size increases
Solution Approach 1:
A blood reservoir serves as an intermediary component that decouples the withdrawal and infusion processes from the treatment process. The reservoir allows blood to be stored and recirculated, enabling the treatment device to operate at high flow rates while the patient access points only need to handle lower flow rates during withdrawal and infusion stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic action by sequentially performing blood withdrawal, treatment, and infusion in distinct time-based stages. During the treatment stage, blood is recirculated through the filtration device at high flow rate, while withdrawal and infusion occur at lower flow rates during separate stages, eliminating the need for dual-lumen access.
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
This approach enables improved clearance efficiency with smaller access sizes, reducing patient discomfort and system complexity, while allowing for higher solute clearance and middle-molecule removal, and enabling the use of smaller, more portable treatment systems.
Implementation Method 1
a blood pump for conveying blood in the recirculating blood processing loop
Implementation Method 2
conveying the blood from the blood chamber through a filtration device at a second flow rate, wherein the filtration device is part of a legacy system, to perform an extracorporeal treatment on the blood
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a blood treatment method, comprising: (a) conveying a volume of blood via a first conduit from a vascular access of a patient to a blood chamber at a first flow rate, the first conduit having only a single lumen; (b) conveying the blood from the blood chamber through a filtration device at a second flow rate, wherein the filtration device is part of a legacy system, to perform an extracorporeal treatment on the blood and returning the treated blood to the blood chamber; and (c) returning the blood from the blood chamber to the vascular access of the patient at a third flow rate via the first conduit, wherein the second flow rate is decoupled from, and independent of both the first and third flow rates.