Venous Pressure Monitoring With NMES for Chronic Venous Pooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) such as graduated compression therapy and NMES devices are limited in effectiveness and compliance, and there is a lack of monitoring systems to manage and prevent venous pooling, leading to conditions like varicose veins and venous leg ulcers.
Innovation Solution
A monitoring system with sensors and a processor that estimates venous pressure based on posture and chronic venous insufficiency, providing real-time feedback and activating neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to reduce pooling, using surface or implanted methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If graduated compression therapy is used, then venous pressure is reduced, but the underlying cause of venous pooling is not addressed and compliance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor venous pressure, blood flow, and muscle activity, providing real-time feedback to both the treatment device and the patient. This feedback mechanism enables the system to automatically adjust compression levels and stimulation parameters, improving compliance by making the treatment adaptive to individual needs rather than requiring manual adjustment or strict adherence to fixed protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service through automated monitoring and adjustment of treatment parameters. The device automatically detects venous pooling conditions, activates NMES pulses, and modulates compression levels without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving patient compliance and reducing the burden of manual therapy application.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If graduated compression bandaging is used, then severe CVI symptoms are treated, but the underlying blood pooling is not fully addressed
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces or complements mechanical compression bandaging with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) that directly targets the muscle pump function. By electrically stimulating the calf muscles, the system actively promotes venous return and addresses the underlying blood pooling mechanism rather than merely applying external compression to manage symptoms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts treatment parameters including compression level, NMES pulse frequency, duration, and intensity based on real-time sensor feedback. This allows the system to adapt to changing venous pressure conditions and optimize the treatment to simultaneously address both symptoms and underlying pooling, rather than using fixed compression parameters.
3Productivity
If NMES is applied to activate calf muscle pump, then venous outflow is promoted, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple functions into a single integrated device: venous pressure monitoring, blood flow assessment, muscle activity detection, compression therapy application, and NMES stimulation are all combined in one system. This consolidation reduces overall device complexity compared to using separate devices for each function, while maintaining comprehensive monitoring and treatment capabilities to promote venous outflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed as a multi-functional platform that can monitor various physiological parameters (pressure, blood flow, muscle activity), apply compression therapy, and deliver NMES stimulation. This universal design allows a single device to address multiple aspects of CVI management, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices and simplifying the overall treatment system.
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 monitors and manages venous pooling, promoting muscle activity and reducing the risk of CVI symptoms by providing real-time feedback and targeted NMES, improving patient compliance and treatment outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor is adapted to measure the acceleration and tilt of a lower leg
Implementation Method 2
generate an estimate of user static venous pressure while the user is static, without calf muscle pump activity... based on said posture data together with a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency and/or blood density
Implementation Method 3
generate an estimate of user active venous pressure according to said static venous pressure estimate, rate of calf muscle activity, and a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency
Implementation Method 4
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is the application of electrical stimuli to a muscle or nerve resulting in a stimulated muscle contraction... Application of NMES to the lower leg muscles has been shown to result in artificial activation of the calf muscle and has been shown to promote venous outflow from the leg
Data Source
AI summary
A monitoring system comprises sensors adapted to be worn by a user, and, a processor linked with the sensor. The processor receives sensor data and processes this data to determine user posture data including data indicative of vertical distance between level of the user's heart and ankle. Based on the posture data together with a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency and/or blood density, generate an estimate of user static venous pressure while the user is static, without calf muscle pump activity. The processor also processes the sensor data to determine if there is calf muscle pump activity, and generates an estimate of user active venous pressure according to the static venous pressure estimate, rate of calf muscle activity, and a value for degree of user chronic venous insufficiency. The processor may generate the venous pressure estimate in real time, and may control an NMES device accordingly.