Syringe Fluid Verification via Force Measurement Contradiction
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a concern in medical fluid delivery procedures to ensure that the correct fluid is loaded into a syringe and injected into a patient, particularly with the use of automatic fluid injectors which may lead to user errors and incorrect fluid configurations, as well as the presence of air in the syringe.
Innovation Solution
A fluid delivery system that includes a syringe, a fluid injector, sensors to measure the force required to draw and dispense fluid, a processor, and a computer-readable storage medium with programming instructions. The system determines whether the correct fluid is being drawn into or dispensed from the syringe by comparing force measurements to predetermined steady state values, and triggers alarms or stops the operation if incorrect fluids are detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automatic fluid injectors are used to deliver preset amounts of contrast at preset flow rates, then productivity and control precision are improved, but the risk of user errors and incorrect fluid configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the force required to draw fluid into the syringe and compares it against expected force profiles for different fluids. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect and alert operators to incorrect fluid configurations automatically, resolving the contradiction by maintaining high productivity while improving reliability through automated verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and operator judgment with an automated force measurement system. Sensors electronically measure and analyze the mechanical force required to draw fluid, substituting human verification with an objective, automated detection system that prevents user errors while maintaining efficient operation.
2Ease of operation
If automatic fluid injectors load syringes with the push of a button, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of air trapped in syringe and incorrect fluid loading increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force measurement system provides real-time feedback during the automated syringe loading process. By monitoring force variations as the plunger moves, the system can detect the presence of air bubbles or incorrect fluid loading and alert operators, thereby maintaining ease of operation while eliminating harmful effects of air entrapment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs verification of fluid contents and syringe loading status before the injection procedure begins. This preliminary detection and alerting mechanism ensures that air or incorrect fluids are identified and corrected prior to patient administration, combining automated convenience with safety verification.
3Measurement precision
If force measurements are taken during fluid draw and dispensing, then measurement precision for fluid verification is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force measurement system serves multiple functions: it verifies fluid identity, detects air bubbles, monitors injection progress, and provides safety alerts. By making the force sensor a multi-functional component, the system achieves high measurement precision for fluid verification without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as the same hardware performs multiple verification tasks.
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 system effectively verifies the contents of the syringe by accurately measuring the force required for fluid handling, thereby preventing incorrect fluid administration and ensuring the absence of air, thus enhancing the safety and reliability of medical fluid delivery procedures.
Implementation Method 1
one or more sensors adapted to measure a force required to draw the fluid into the syringe
Implementation Method 2
one or more sensors adapted to measure a force required to dispense the fluid from the syringe
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid delivery system and method for determining whether the correct fluid is being drawn into and/or dispensed from a syringe. The system includes a syringe, a fluid injector for drawing fluid into and dispensing fluid from the syringe, one or more sensors adapted to measure a force required to draw the fluid into and/or dispense the fluid from the syringe, a processor in communication with the one or more sensors, and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processor. The computer-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to receive from the one or more sensors one or more measurements of the force required to draw the fluid into and/or dispense the fluid from the syringe and determine from the one or more measurements whether a correct fluid is being drawn into and/or dispensed from the syringe.