PFI-TT: Developing a Device to Improve Lymphatic Flow

该创新-技术转化合作伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将是开发一种可穿戴医疗设备，作为水肿患者的新解决方案，水肿是一种液体积聚导致肿胀的疾病，特别是在手臂或腿部。 该装置将改善体液循环，同时显著降低与这种疾病相关的严重并发症的风险。目标是解决健康差距问题，改善水肿患者的总体健康状况。拟议项目的重点是开发一种新兴的医疗技术，以解决水肿，这是美国的一个主要公共卫生问题。淋巴水肿的特征在于身体部位的慢性肿胀，其具有使人衰弱的作用并对患者的生活质量产生负面影响。将构建一种紧凑、可穿戴且操作简单的医疗设备，该设备将应用治疗压力梯度以改善淋巴流动。 与使用气动压力挤出淋巴液的压缩方法相比，该技术可以显著增强当前的治疗方式。 拟议的技术将有两个关键的机械元件：贴片和控制器，其设计方式模仿手动淋巴引流技术。该技术可能会提高目前的治疗临床模式，并扩展到家庭为基础的therapy.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project will be in developing a wearable medical device as a new solution for patients with lymphedema, a condition in which fluid build up causes swelling, especially in the arms or legs. The device will improve the body fluid circulation while significantly reducing the risk of severe complications associated with this disease. The goal is to address health disparities and to improve the overall health outcomes of patients suffering from lymphedema. The proposed project focuses on developing an emerging medical technology to address lymphedema, which is a major public health issue in the United States. Lymphedema is characterized by chronic swelling of a body part which has debilitating effects and negatively impacts the quality of life of the patient. A compact, wearable, and simple to operate medical device will be built that will apply therapeutic pressure gradients with the goal of improving lymphatic flow. This technology may significantly enhance current therapeutic modalities when compared to compressive methods that use pneumatic pressure to squeeze out lymph fluid. The proposed technology will have two key mechanical elements: the patch and the controller, designed in a way to mimic the manual lymph drainage techniques. The technology may enhance current therapeutic clinical modalities and be extended to home-based therapies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.