Volume Reducing Reservoir Insert for Infusion Port
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implanted vascular access portals face complications such as sludge buildup and inefficient flushing due to turbulent flow and residual fluid accumulation, which can limit their functionality and require excessive fluid for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a reduced fluid fill volume reservoir with volume reduction members and a smooth, angled outlet passage to minimize fluid stagnation and turbulence, facilitating efficient flushing with less fluid volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a traditional reservoir design is used, then the reservoir can accommodate sufficient fluid volume, but fluid stagnation and turbulent flow occur leading to sludge buildup and inefficient flushing
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir insert features a curved, dome-shaped upper surface that replaces angular or flat configurations. This curvature eliminates dead zones and stagnant areas where fluid can accumulate, ensuring complete fluid evacuation during flushing operations. The smooth curved surfaces guide fluid flow continuously toward the outlet passage, preventing sludge buildup while maintaining adequate fluid volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir is divided into distinct functional zones: an upper fluid storage zone with curved surfaces for optimal flow, a transition zone with the outlet passage, and a lower catheter interface zone. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function - the upper zone maximizes fluid volume while the outlet zone ensures efficient evacuation, resolving the contradiction between volume and flushing efficiency.
2Reliability
If routine flushing is performed to clear sludge buildup, then portal functionality is maintained, but excessive fluid volume is introduced into the patient
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir insert is pre-configured with optimized curved surfaces and outlet passage geometry during manufacturing, creating a design that inherently prevents sludge buildup before it occurs. This preliminary structural configuration eliminates the need for aggressive routine flushing, allowing maintenance with minimal fluid volume while maintaining portal functionality throughout the device lifecycle.
3Productivity
If the reservoir outlet passage is designed for easy fluid flow, then flushing efficiency improves, but turbulent flow and residual fluid accumulation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet passage is designed with smooth curved transitions and rounded corners throughout its length, eliminating sharp angles and abrupt direction changes. This curved geometry maintains laminar flow conditions, preventing turbulence and ensuring complete fluid evacuation without residual accumulation, thereby achieving high flushing efficiency without harmful flow patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The outlet passage cross-sectional area and curvature radius are carefully optimized to specific parameter ranges that balance flow velocity and flow smoothness. These parameter changes ensure sufficient flow speed for efficient flushing while maintaining laminar flow conditions that prevent turbulence and residual fluid accumulation.
Data Source
AI summary
An access portal is provided including a housing, a body defining a fluid reservoir, and a septum enclosing the fluid reservoir. A stem in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir extends from the fluid reservoir. The access portal also includes a reservoir insert disposed within the fluid reservoir, in which the reservoir insert decreases the fluid fill volume of the reservoir.