University of Washington

Barry R Lutz

Samuel R Browd

Paul Yager

Elain S Fu

Peter C Kauffman

Daniel T Schwartz

Lisa Kathryn Lafleur

Samantha A Byrnes

Joshua Davis Bishop

Maxwell Wheeler

Sujatha Kumar

Joel Relethford

Brian Cran

Jared Houghtaling

Gina Fridley

Huy Quang Le

Tinny Liang

Joshua Buser

Bhushan Toley

Shivani Dharmaraja

Xiaohong Zhang

Thomas Clement

Drainage systems for excess body fluids and associated methods are disclosed herein. A body fluid drainage system in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, for example, can include a catheter that has an exterior surface, a proximal portion, and a distal portion opposite the proximal portion. The body fluid drainage system can further include a valve device, a pressure sensor, and a controller operatively coupled to the valve device and the pressure sensor. The valve device can include an actuator positioned over the exterior surface of the catheter. The actuator is movable between an open position that allows body fluid flow through the catheter, a closed position that at least substantially obstructs the body fluid flow through the catheter, and intermediate positions that partially obstruct the body fluid flow through the catheter. The controller can change the position of the actuator in response to a predetermined condition of the pressure sensor.

Body fluid drainage system

The present technology is directed to capillarity-based devices for performing chemical processes and associated system and methods. In one embodiment, for example, a device can include a porous receiving element having an input region and a receiving region, a first fluid source and a second fluid source positioned within the input region of the receiving element; wherein the first fluid source is positioned between the second fluid source and the receiving region, and wherein, when both the first and second fluid sources are in fluid connection with the input region, the device is configured to sequentially deliver the first fluid and the second fluid to the receiving region without leakage.

Sequential delivery of fluid volumes and associated devices, systems and methods

Drainage systems for excess body fluids and associated methods are disclosed herein. A drainage system in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, a drainage catheter, a first reference line, a second reference line, and a pressure sensor assembly. The catheter can include a flexible interface member and an inlet can be placed in fluid communication with a site of excess body fluid within a patient. A first flexible region of the first reference line can be in pressure communication with the flexible interface member, and a second flexible region of the second reference line can be in pressure communication with the surrounding atmosphere. The pressure sensor assembly can be spaced apart from the flexible regions, and measure the pressures of the first and second reference lines. This information can be used to determine the pressure at the site of excess body fluid.

Pressure reference assemblies for body fluid drainage systems and associated methods

The present technology describes various embodiments of devices for processing, analyzing, detecting, measuring, and separating fluids. The devices can be used to perform these processes on a microfluidic scale, and with control over fluid and reagent transport. In one embodiment, for example, a device for performing chemical processes can include a porous wick comprising a pathway defined by an input end, an output end, and a length between the input end and the output end. The pathway is configured to wick fluid from the input end to the output end by capillary action. The device can further include a reagent placed on the pathway. The reagent can be placed in a pattern configured to control a spatial or temporal distribution of the reagent along the pathway upon wetting of the pathway.

Reagent patterning in capillarity-based analyzers and associated systems and methods

A microfluidic fluid flow system () is disclosed having a fluid chamber or channel () with inlet and outlet ports (), allowing the fluid channel to be filled with a fluid. One or more flow obstructions or perturbances, such as cylinders (), are provided in the channel. An oscillatory boundary condition is applied, for example, with a piezoelectric driver (), that is selected to induce a conservative, low-intensity steady streaming flow in the channel. The low-intensity streaming flow produces distinct eddies that can be utilized, for example, for fluid-dynamically trapping or retaining particles () such as cells () at well defined locations in the channel. The system may be used to trap and study individual cells or for concentrating or filtering particles in a fluid.

Steady streaming particle traps

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Barry R Lutz