Wearable Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Device for Mobile Therapy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current kidney failure therapies, such as automated peritoneal dialysis, require patients to be immobilized due to the need for bulky and stationary equipment, limiting their mobility and quality of life.
Innovation Solution
A portable, wearable automated peritoneal dialysis machine that integrates into clothing or a bag, allowing patients to perform a single cycle of kidney failure therapy while mobile, using a single pump and dialysis fluid container, with disposable components for easy replacement and a heater for warming dialysis fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If traditional automated peritoneal dialysis machines are used, then dialysis treatment can be performed automatically, but the equipment is bulky and stationary requiring patient immobilization
Solution Approach 1:
The dialysis system is divided into separate functional modules: a wearable pump unit, a separate fluid reservoir, and a waste collection bag. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and worn separately on the patient's body, transforming a single bulky stationary machine into distributed wearable components that maintain automated functionality while enabling patient mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a ground-based stationary machine to a body-worn configuration, effectively moving the dialysis equipment from the horizontal plane (floor-based) to the vertical dimension (worn on body). This dimensional shift allows the patient to carry the equipment with them rather than being constrained to a fixed location, resolving the contradiction between automation and mobility.
2Ease of operation
If traditional automated peritoneal dialysis machines are used, then dialysis treatment can be performed automatically, but patients must remain immobilized in bed or chair
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable pump unit is designed to be self-contained and self-regulating, automatically performing pump cycles, fluid delivery, and waste collection without requiring patient intervention or connection to external power sources. The system uses internal power supplies and automated control logic to maintain treatment cycles while the patient moves freely, eliminating the need for immobilization that characterized traditional APD systems.
3Weight of moving object
If a portable wearable dialysis device is created, then patient mobility is improved, but the device must be lightweight and compact
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functions are merged into the single wearable pump unit: fluid pumping, pressure regulation, cycle control, and waste collection. By combining these functions into one integrated device rather than separate components, the system reduces overall weight and complexity while maintaining full automated dialysis capability, enabling the portable form factor required for patient mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The heavy fluid reservoir and waste collection systems are extracted from the pump unit and placed in separate containers worn by the patient. This extraction allows the pump unit itself to remain lightweight and compact, while the bulk of the fluid management occurs in separate, replaceable containers that do not compromise the portability of the active pump component.
4Ease of repair
If disposable components are used, then easy replacement is achieved, but component complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump head and tubing assembly are designed as disposable components that can be easily replaced after a single use or limited number of cycles. This disposable design eliminates the need for complex cleaning, sterilization, and maintenance procedures, allowing patients to simply replace the entire assembly with a new one. The simplicity of replacement outweighs the increased complexity of managing disposable components, improving ease of repair and reducing infection risk.
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
Enables patients to perform kidney failure therapy on-the-go, improving mobility and reducing the time spent in treatment sessions, thus enhancing their quality of life by providing a lightweight and easily manageable dialysis system.
Implementation Method 1
a pump, which delivers the dialysis fluid from the container to the patient
Implementation Method 2
a heater, which warms the dialysis fluid
Implementation Method 3
The control unit causes the pump to deliver a predetermined volume of fresh dialysis fluid to the patient
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable automated peritoneal dialysis (“APD”) machine is disclosed herein. In an example, the APD machine includes a delivery system connected to a dialysis fluid container and a catheter connected to a peritoneal cavity of a patient. The delivery system includes a pump for pumping fresh dialysis fluid from the dialysis fluid container to the patient, and pumping used dialysis fluid from the patient to the dialysis fluid container. The delivery system also includes a control unit configured to control the pump using a flow rate measured by a flow sensor and a pressure measured by a pressure sensor. The APD machine also includes a clothing item to be worn by the patient. The clothing item includes a first section to retain the dialysis fluid container, a heating element positioned adjacent to the first section for warming the fresh dialysis fluid, and a second section to retain the delivery system.