Tilt Detection System for Implantable Device Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices, such as implantable drug pumps, face challenges in aligning external medical instruments with implanted reservoirs for refilling or accessing therapeutic agents, due to the difficulty in determining the orientation of the reservoir ports within the body, especially when the implant's position changes over time.
Innovation Solution
The use of a tilt detection system with accelerometers in both the medical device and external instruments, providing signals to orient the instruments accurately relative to the reservoir ports, ensuring precise alignment and minimizing damage during access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional alignment methods are used for accessing implanted medical devices, then the procedure is simple to perform, but the alignment accuracy between external instruments and reservoir ports deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical alignment methods with an electronic sensor-based system. Accelerometers and tilt detectors provide electronic signals about device orientation and position, substituting the need for manual mechanical alignment techniques. This enables precise alignment through electronic data processing rather than mechanical trial-and-error methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sensors, processors, and indicators as intermediary elements between the implanted medical device and the external access instrument. These intermediaries transmit and process alignment information, facilitating accurate positioning without direct visual or tactile contact between the clinician and the deep-implanted reservoir ports.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the implant position is allowed to change over time, then patient comfort and mobility are improved, but the alignment between external instruments and reservoir ports deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic alignment system that continuously adapts to changing implant positions. Sensors detect real-time changes in device orientation and position, and the system dynamically adjusts alignment information to account for these changes. This allows the implant to move freely while maintaining accurate alignment capability through continuous monitoring and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where sensors continuously monitor the position and orientation of the implanted device, and this information is fed back to guide the external access instrument. The system provides real-time feedback about alignment status, enabling clinicians to adjust the instrument position based on actual device location rather than relying on initial implantation coordinates.
3Reliability
If manual alignment techniques are used, then the device complexity is low, but the risk of damage to device or surrounding tissues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment techniques with an electronic guidance system that provides precise alignment information. This substitution reduces the risk of misalignment-related damage to the device or surrounding tissues by eliminating the trial-and-error nature of manual alignment methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary alignment assessment and guidance before the actual access procedure. Sensors detect device position and orientation in advance, and the system provides alignment information prior to instrument insertion, allowing clinicians to plan the access path and avoid potential damage zones before proceeding with the procedure.
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 solution enhances the accuracy and safety of accessing implanted medical device reservoirs by ensuring proper alignment of external instruments with reservoir ports, maximizing successful entry points and reducing the risk of damage to the device or surrounding tissues.
Implementation Method 1
a first tilt detector (e.g., an accelerometer) associated with a medical device
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for orienting a medical instrument relative to at least a portion of a medical device include a first tilt detector (62) associated with the medical instrument and a second tilt detector (58) associated with the medical device (12). The first tilt detector may be within an orientation device (60) that is coupled to or separate from the medical instrument. The tilt detectors generate signals that may be used to determine the relative orientation between at least a portion of the medical device and medical instrument. For example, in some embodiments, the signals may be used to determine whether the orientations of the refill port of an implantable medical device and the medical instrument substantially match.