Thermoregulation Simulator Calibrating Rewarming Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current therapeutic hypothermia devices lack a calibration system that can accurately account for the influence of core to surface blood flow during the rewarming process, leading to potential tissue injury due to rapid temperature changes, as existing systems cannot distinguish between device malfunctions and physiological responses.
Innovation Solution
A Human Thermoregulation Simulator (HTRS) is developed, comprising concentric containers simulating the body's core, tissues, and skin, with a heat generator, foam layer, and a network of tubing to mimic internal metabolism and convective heat flow, allowing for accurate calibration and testing of therapeutic hypothermia devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a passive thermal mass is used for calibration, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates because it cannot account for convective heat flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a calibrated phantom that copies the thermal properties of the human body, including convective heat flow through simulated blood vessels. This allows the calibration system to accurately represent physiological conditions without requiring actual human subjects, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining manageable device complexity through standardized phantom construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration phantom is divided into distinct segments representing different body tissues and vascular structures. Each segment can be independently calibrated and tested, allowing for precise measurement of temperature regulation accuracy in specific physiological conditions without requiring complex integration of all body systems.
2Productivity
If rewarming is performed rapidly to reduce procedure time, then the productivity improves, but the object-affected harmful factors worsen due to tissue injury from rapid temperature change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates temperature sensors and control systems that provide continuous feedback during the rewarming process. This feedback mechanism allows for real-time monitoring and adjustment of heating rates, enabling rapid productivity while preventing tissue injury by maintaining safe temperature change rates through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The calibration phantom allows for preliminary testing and determination of safe rewarming rates before actual clinical procedures. By pre-calibrating the system with known physiological models, the safe heating rates can be established in advance, guiding clinical practice to achieve rapid yet safe rewarming without tissue injury.
3Ease of manufacture
If the control system is calibrated for passive conduction only, then the ease of manufacture improves, but the adaptability deteriorates when dealing with active convective heat flow
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration phantom is designed to serve multiple functions: it can model various tissue types, vascular configurations, and thermal conditions. This multi-functionality allows a single manufactured system to adapt to different physiological scenarios and patient conditions, thereby improving versatility without requiring multiple specialized calibration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The phantom incorporates adjustable parameters such as thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and blood flow rates that can be modified to match different physiological conditions. This allows the same manufactured calibration system to adapt to various scenarios by changing physical parameters rather than requiring complete system redesign, thus improving ease of manufacture while maintaining high adaptability.
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 HTRS effectively simulates the natural thermoregulatory processes, providing a more accurate representation of heat transfer between the body core and surface, enabling safer and more controlled therapeutic hypothermia procedures by accounting for blood flow dynamics, thus preventing tissue injury during rewarming.
Implementation Method 1
a heat generator configured to heat the water inside the core container
Implementation Method 2
a pump configured to circulate water from the core container through the network of tubing
Implementation Method 3
a foam layer configured to be saturated by water
Implementation Method 4
the outer container includes a network of tubing disposed on at least a portion of an inner surface of the outer container
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations include a Human Thermoregulation Simulator (HTRS) that simulates the natural and primary thermoregulatory functions of a patient that are relevant during therapeutic hypothermia procedures. For example, in various implementations, a HTRS includes a core container configured to be at least partially filled with water, and the core container includes a heat generator configured to heat the water inside the core container. A middle container is disposed concentrically around the core container, and the middle container includes a foam layer configured to be saturated by water. An outer container is disposed concentrically around the middle container, and the outer container includes a network of tubing disposed on at least a portion of an inner surface of the outer container. The HTRS also includes a pump configured to circulate water from the core container through the network of tubing.