WO2021260558A1

WO2021260558A1 - Aqueous medium-soluble powder for blood flow simulation

Info

Publication number: WO2021260558A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/055517
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zoé Janusko-Mandin; Hadil NOËL-AL TABCHI
Original assignee: Biomodex, S.A.S.
Priority date: 2020-06-23
Filing date: 2021-06-22
Publication date: 2021-12-30

Abstract

A blood mimicking fluid (BMF) includes polyethylene glycol (PEG), a sugar, a synthetic polymer, an emulsifier, and a surfactant. The BMF is prepared as a powder. The BMF is mixed in water prior to use in a simulated medical procedure. The BMF is configured to be used at 37° C. The BMF has the same or similar echogenic properties as human blood.

Description

AQUEOUS MEDIUM-SOLUBLE POWDER FOR BLOOD FLOW SIMULATION

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 63/042,867, filed on June 23, 2020, which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Medical error is one of the highest causes of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer. Complications during surgery often lead to an increase in cost, and a decrease in the probability of success. Training allows physicians to practice various surgical methods in simulated environments in order to better prepare for surgical complications.

[0003] To reproduce this physiological environment, cardiovascular and organ simulation systems implement a liquid, such as a Blood Mimicking Fluid (BMF) that circulates throughout the system to simulate blood flow. Depending on the application, various BMF’s are used which exhibit one or more properties of blood for the given training simulation. BMF’s are generally produced in liquid form, which takes several hours to manufacture, and the solutions are generally meant to be used at room temperature.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0004] In some embodiments, a blood mimicking fluid composition includes a mixture. The mixture includes polyethylene glycol (PEG), a sugar, a synthetic polymer, an emulsifier, and a surfactant. In some embodiments, the PEG has a molecular weight of 3000-4000 Da and is present in about 48% by weight, the sugar is present in about 29% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in about 11% by weight, the emulsifier is present in about 6% by weight, and the surfactant is present in about 6% by weight. In some embodiments, and the powder is soluble in an aqueous medium [0005] In other embodiments, a method for preparing a blood mimicking fluid includes providing a BMF powder. The BMF powder includes about 48% by weight polyethylene glycol (PEG), about 29% by weight sugar, about 11% by weight synthetic polymer, about 6% by weight emulsifier, and about 6% by weight surfactant. The BMF powder is combined with water to form a BMF mixture. The BMF mixture is agitated until the BMF powder dissolves in the fluid. In some embodiments, the BMF is injected into a training apparatus and a simulated medical procedure is performed using the training apparatus and the BMF.

[0006] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0007] Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of such embodiments. The features and advantages of such embodiments may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of such embodiments as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other features of the disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description will be rendered by reference to specific implementations thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. For better understanding, the like elements have been designated by like reference numbers throughout the various accompanying figures. While some of the drawings may be schematic or exaggerated representations of concepts, at least some of the drawings may be drawn to scale. Understanding that the drawings depict some example implementations, the implementations will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a representation of a training apparatus, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method for preparing a blood mimicking fluid, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and [0011] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for performing a simulated medical procedure, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] This disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for a water-soluble powdered BMF. When the powdered BMF is mixed with water, the resulting BMF may have similar echogenic properties to human blood. A BMF having blood-like echogenic human properties may allow physicians and/or other health care providers to simulate medical procedures, receiving training on medical devices, develop new medical techniques, and combinations thereof. Because the health care provider is not practicing on the patient, risks to the patient from inexperienced health care providers and/or experimental procedures may be reduced.

[0013] Blood is a fluid. To mimic the properties of blood, BMFs are used in liquid form. Conventional BMFs are manufactured in liquid form. For example, manufacturing of a conventional BMF may mix two or more liquid ingredients, such as water and another liquid ingredient. Handling and/or transportation of liquid BMFs may be difficult, expensive, and regulatorily difficult (such as due to regulations regarding liquids on airplanes).

[0014] In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a BMF can be created from an aqueous medium (e.g., water) and a powder. A powder may be easier and cheaper to transport than a BMF in liquid form because it is lighter and smaller in volume. In some embodiments, a powdered BMF may have a longer shelf-life than a liquid BMF without the need for preservatives, while still being immediately available as it can be reconstituted quickly and easily. [0015] In some embodiments, the reconstituted BMF solution is useful to simulate various physical properties of blood such as but not limited to density, viscosity, the speed of sound traveling within the blood, and acoustic attenuation. In some embodiments, the solution may be used at the actual temperature of human blood, 37° C, while maintaining one or more physical properties of blood, providing a simulation close to reality. In some embodiments, the BMF is safe for the user of a cardiovascular or organ simulation system implementing the BMF.

[0016] In some embodiments, a method for forming a BMF includes providing a kit containing elements for forming the BMF. The kit may include a vial, packet, or other package of BMF powder. The kit may also include a dissolution bottle. In some embodiments, the BMF may be formed by putting a specific volume of BMF powder into the dissolution bottle and adding a specific volume of an aqueous medium. In other embodiments, the BMF may be formed by putting a specific volume of an aqueous medium (such as water) into the dissolution bottle and adding a specific volume of BMF powder. In some embodiments the powder constitutes by weight about 16% of the solution and the aqueous medium constitutes by weight about 84% of the solution. In some embodiments, the powder constitutes by weight about 16.0% of the total solution and the aqueous medium constitutes by weight about 84.0% of the total solution. The aqueous medium may constitute by weight 83.98% of the total solution and the powder may constitute by weight 16.02% of the total solution. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium may be water. In some embodiments, the aqueous medium may be distilled water or a physiological serum.

[0017] In some embodiments, the powder may be soluble in an aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the BMF solution may be formed by agitating the mixture in the dissolution bottle for 30 seconds. In other embodiments, the BMF solution may be formed by agitating the mixture in the dissolution bottle for 60, 90, 120, 150, or 180 seconds. In some embodiments, the BMF solution may be formed by agitating the dissolution bottle for more than 180 seconds or less than 30 seconds. In some embodiments, the mixture may be agitated by shaking the dissolution bottle. In other embodiments, the mixture may be agitated by stirring, mixing, blending, beating, spinning, vertexing, or any other method of mixing in order to combine the powder and aqueous medium into one homogeneous solution.

[0018] In some embodiments, the BMF may be transferred from the dissolution bottle into a tank or other container for temporary storage. In other embodiments, the BMF may be transferred from the dissolution bottle directly to a simulation system, or otherwise transferred from the dissolution bottle to be directly used in a training environment. In some embodiments the liquid BMF may be temporarily stored for up to 24 hours. In some embodiments, the liquid BMF may be used for training purposes. For example, the BMF may be used to practice Doppler echography, simulate blood flow in 3D printed organs, simulate blood flow in vascular, cardiovascular or organ simulations, simulate the consistency of blood, train lifeguards or other safety professionals, or simulate surgical procedures.

[0019] The BMF powder may be any powder described in the present disclosure. For example, the BMF powder may include polyethylene glycol (PEG), a sugar, a synthetic polymer, an emulsifier, and a surfactant. In some embodiments, the PEG, having a molecular weight of 3000-4000 Da, is present in about 48% by weight, the sugar is present in about 29% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in about 11% by weight, the emulsifier is present in about 6% by weight, and the surfactant is present in about 6% by weight. In some embodiments, the PEG is present in about 47.9% by weight, the sugar is present in about 29.6% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in about 10.7% by weight, the emulsifier is present in about 5.9% by weight and the surfactant is present in about 5.9% by weight. In some embodiments, the powder contains 47.87% wt of PEG3000, 29.55% wt of fructose, 10.76% wt of Orgasol, 5.91% wt of Synperonic A7, and 5.91% wt of NatraSense LF8.

[0020] In some embodiments, the polyethylene glycol is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8. Each component of the powder may contribute to certain physical properties of the BMF once dissolved to form the solution. For example, PEG3000 may impact such physical properties as viscosity and/or density, fructose may impact the density and/or the speed of sound, Orgasol may impact the speed of sound and/or backscattering, Synperonic A7 may impact the stabilization, and NatraSense FF8 may impact the dispersion of particles. In some embodiments, other solid PEGs having different molecular weight (e.g., 3350 or 4000 Da) may be used. In some embodiments, other sugars that adjust the speed of sound and/or density may be used. In other embodiments, other synthetic materials that adjust the speed of sound and/or other echogenic properties may be used. In other embodiments, other emulsifiers and/or surfactants may be used.

[0021] In some embodiments, the synthetic polymer may have an average particle diameter of 5 pm. In some embodiments, the mixture may be homogeneous. For example, the PEG, the sugar, the synthetic polymer, the emulsifier, and the surfactant may have a uniform composition throughout the mixture. In some embodiments, the powdered mixture may be homogeneous. In some embodiments, the solution formed when the mixture is mixed with water may be homogeneous. [0022] As discussed herein, the BMF may be formed by mixing a dry powder and a fluid, such as water. In some embodiments, the powder may be formed from a combination of the ingredients discussed herein, including the polyethylene glycol, the sugar, the synthetic polymer, the emulsifier, and the surfactant. In some embodiments, each of the ingredients discussed herein may be formed from a dry powder. In some embodiments, a dry powder may be a powder that includes a weight percentage (wt%) of water or other liquids. In some embodiments, the dry powder may include less than 5 wt%, less than 4 wt%, less than 3 wt%, less than 2 wt%, less than 1 wt%, less than 0.5 wt%, less than 0.1 wt%, or any value therebetween of water. In some embodiments, it may be critical that the dry powder is less than 1 wt% liquid to prevent clumping, reduce density, improve storage, and improve the mixing qualities.

[0023] In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, each ingredient of the BMF powder may be water soluble. For example, each ingredient, when added to water in the proportions discussed herein, may be completely soluble in water, such that no precipitate remains after the BMF is mixed. This may help to prevent the BMF from clogging pumps, simulated blood vessels, or other portions of a medical procedure training apparatus.

[0024] In some embodiments, the dry powder may include a homogeneous mixture of the separate ingredients, including the polyethylene glycol, the sugar, the synthetic polymer, the emulsifier, and the surfactant. For example, each ingredient in the dry powder may be mixed evenly throughout the dry powder. A homogeneous mixture may allow the manufacturer to prepare large batches of the dry powder and separate the large batch into usable portions. This may help to ensure that each batch has the appropriate ratio of each ingredient, thereby ensuring that the final mixed BMF has the desired properties. In some embodiments, the dry powder may include zones or other regions of higher density of a particular ingredient. In some embodiments, each ingredient may be added to the aqueous medium separately.

[0025] In some embodiments, each ingredient in the dry powder may be a separate particle. In some embodiments, multiple particles may be combined or clustered into larger particles. The dry powder has a particle size. The particle size of the dry powder may be selected to improve dissolution of the dry powder in the water or other fluid. In some embodiments, the particle size may be 5 micrometers, 10 micrometers, 25 micrometers, 50 micrometers, 75 micrometers, 100 micrometers, 250 micrometers, 500 micrometers, 750 micrometers, 1 millimeter, 2.5 millimeters, 5 millimeters, or any value therebetween. In some embodiments, it may be critical that the particle size of the dry powder is less than 50 micrometers to facilitate dissolution of the dry powder in the water or the other fluid.

[0026] The BMF powder of the present disclosure may be stable. For example, the BMF powder may be mixed, and the individual ingredients may not react with each other, degrade, or otherwise change their properties during storage. This may help to increase the shelf-life of the BMF powder.

[0027] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a representation of a training apparatus 100 for medical procedure training, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The training apparatus may include a housing 102. A vessel port 104 may be defined by the housing. The vessel port 104 may include a hole through or an indentation in the housing 102. A training vessel 106 may be placed in the vessel port 104. The training vessel 106 may include a simulated blood vessel network. The simulated blood vessel network may include a 3 -dimensional network of interconnected tubes that represent a series of blood vessels for a patient. In some embodiments, the simulated blood vessel network may be a 3D printed blood vessel network of the actual mapped network of a user.

[0028] The training apparatus 100 includes an input port 108. The input port 108 may be connected to the training vessel 106, including the simulated blood vessel network in the training vessel. In some embodiments, fluid may be passed through the input port 108 and into the simulated blood vessel network of the training vessel 106. In some embodiments, the fluid passed through the input port may be a BMF. This may allow a medical professional to examine the blood flow through the simulated blood vessel network in the training vessel 106. [0029] In some embodiments, one or more instruments may be passed through the input port 108. The instruments may perform a simulated medical procedure using the simulated blood vessel network. In some embodiments, the BMF may allow the medical professional to analyze the effects of the simulated procedure. For example, the simulated procedure may include the installation of a stent, and the BMF may allow the medical professional to analyze blood flow through the stent.

[0030] In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the BMF may have echogenic properties that are similar or identical to blood. Some medical procedures are analyzed, managed, or otherwise observed using echogenic devices, such as an ultrasonic imager. By using an echogenic BMF of the present disclosure, the medical professional may more closely simulate the conditions that may be present in an actual procedure. This type of training may help prepare the medical professional for live medical procedures. A more prepared physician may be more effective and/or make fewer mistakes. In this manner, using an echogenic BMF of the present disclosure may help to improve the safety and success rate of medical procedures. [0031] In some embodiments, to more closely mimic the conditions of a live medical procedure, the BMF may be mixed and/or pumped through the simulated blood vessel network at the temperature of the human body. For example, the BMF may be mixed and/or pumped through the simulated blood vessel network at 37° C. In some embodiments, the BMF may have similar echogenic properties as human blood at 37° C. In some embodiments, the BMF may be mixed and/or pumped through the simulated blood network at a temperature between 36° C and 40° C. In some embodiments, the BMF may have similar echogenic properties as human blood at between 36° C and 40° C to account for the range of patient temperatures that may be encountered by medical professionals.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a representation of a method 210 for preparing a BMF, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 210 may include providing or receiving a powder for a BMF at 212. The powder may be a BMF powder, having proportions of ingredients, including the polyethylene glycol, the sugar, the synthetic polymer, the emulsifier, and the surfactant, as discussed herein. The ingredients of the BMF powder may be mixed into a homogeneous powder.

[0033] The method 210 may further include combining the BMF powder with an aqueous medium, such as water, at 214. In some embodiments, all of the ingredients of the BMF powder may be added to the aqueous medium simultaneously. In some embodiments, the ingredients of the BMF powder may be added separately to each other. In some embodiments, the BMF powder and/or the aqueous medium may be combined at a temperature of 37° C. This may allow the resulting BMF to be used and processed at a temperature that approximates the temperature of human blood.

[0034] The method 210 may further include agitating the combined BMF powder and aqueous medium to form a BMF mixture at 216. In some embodiments, the BMF mixture may be mechanically agitated. For example, the BMF mixture may be agitated using a spoon, wisk, rotating blade or bar, or other mechanical agitation mechanism. In some embodiments, the BMF mixture may be shaken. For example, the user may pour the BMF powder into a bottle. The user may shake the bottle to agitate the BMF mixture. Agitating the BMF powder with the water may help to increase the dissolution of the BMF powder in the aqueous medium. In some embodiments, the BMF mixture may be agitated until the BMF powder has dissolved in the water. In some embodiments, the BMF mixture may be agitated for 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, 30 s, 45 s, 60 s, 150 s, 180 s, 240 s, or more before the BMF powder is dissolved. In some embodiments, it may be critical that the BMF powder dissolves after agitating for less than 30 s (e.g., between 5 s and 30 s, between 10 s and 30 s, between 20 s and 30 s, and so forth) to allow a medical professional to quickly and efficiently begin a simulated medical procedure with minimal setup delay.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a representation of a method 320 for implementing a simulated medical procedure using a BMF, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The method 320 may include preparing a BMF by mixing a BMF powder with water at 322. As discussed herein, the BMF powder may be formed from a mixture of ingredients, including the polyethylene glycol, the sugar, the synthetic polymer, the emulsifier, and the surfactant. [0036] In some embodiments, the BMF may be injected into a training apparatus at 324, such as the training apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1. The prepared BMF may have one or more properties that are similar to the physical properties of blood. For example, BMFs according to the present disclosure may have echogenic properties that are the same as or similar to the echogenic properties of human blood. In some embodiments, the BMF may be injected into the training apparatus at 37° C. In some embodiments, the training apparatus may include one or more warming portions that may be configured to raise and/or maintain the temperature of the BMF at 37° F.

[0037] The method 320 may further include performing a simulated medical procedure using the mixed BMF powder in the training apparatus at 326. In some embodiments, the method 320 may further include performing a physical measurement of the BMF while the BMF is in the training apparatus. In some embodiments, the physical measurement may include an ultrasonic imaging measurement. In this manner, the health care professional may receive training, practice, or otherwise leam how to perform the medical procedure before performing it on a live patient. This may help to reduce or prevent patient injury and improve the success rate of procedures.

[0038] In some embodiments, the following physical properties may be exhibited by the

BMF:

[0039] Following are sections in accordance with the present disclosure: Al. A composition comprising: a mixture, the mixture including polyethylene glycol (PEG), a sugar, a synthetic polymer, an emulsifier, and a surfactant, wherein the PEG, having a molecular weight of 3000-4000 Da, is present in about 48% by weight, the sugar is present in about 29% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in about 11% by weight, the emulsifier is present in about 6% by weight, and the surfactant is present in about 6% by weight, and the powder is soluble in an aqueous medium.

A2. The composition of section Al, wherein the polyethylene glycol is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8.

A3. The composition of section Al or A2, wherein the polyethylene glycol is present in 47.9% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.6% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.7% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.9% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.9% by weight.

A4. The composition of any of sections A1-A3, wherein the polyethylene glycol is present in 47.87% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.55% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.76% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.91% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.91% by weight.

A5. The composition any of sections A1-A4 and an aqueous medium, wherein the mixture constitutes about 16% by weight of the composition and the aqueous medium constitutes about 84% by weight of the composition.

A6. The composition any of sections A1-A5 and an aqueous medium, wherein the mixture constitutes about 16.0% by weight of the composition and the aqueous medium constitutes about 84.0% by weight of the composition.

A7. The composition any of sections A1-A4 and an aqueous medium, wherein the mixture constitutes about 16.02% by weight of the composition and the aqueous medium constitutes about 83.98% by weight of the composition. A8. The composition of section A7, wherein the polyethylene glycol is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8. A9. The composition of any of sections A1-A8, wherein the mixture includes a powder.

A10. The composition of any of sections A1-A9, wherein the composition has a speed of sound at 37° C of between 1561 m/s and 1581 m/s.

All. The composition of any of sections A1-A10, wherein the composition has an attenuation of between 0.4 and 0.8 dB/cm at a frequency of 3 MHz.

A12. The composition of an of sections Al-All, wherein the composition has an attenuation of between 1.5 and 2.2 dB/cm at a frequency of 6 MHz.

A13. The composition of any of sections A1-A12, wherein the synthetic polymer has an average particle diameter of 5 pm. A14. The composition of any of sections A1-A13, wherein the mixture is homogeneous.

B 1. A method for forming a blood mimicking fluid, comprising: providing a BMF powder, the BMF power including about 48% by weight polyethylene glycol (PEG), about 29% by weight sugar, about 11% by weight synthetic polymer, about 6% by weight emulsifier, and about 6% by weight surfactant; adding a fluid to the BMF powder to form a BMF mixture; and agitating the BMF mixture until the BMF powder dissolves in the fluid.

B2. The method of section Bl, wherein agitating the BMF mixture includes agitating for less than 1 minute. B3. The method of section B1 or B2, wherein the polyethylene glycol is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8. B4. The method of any of sections B1-B3, wherein the polyethylene glycol is present in 47.9% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.6% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.7% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.9% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.9% by weight. B5. The method of any of sections B1-B4, wherein the polyethylene glycol is present in 47.87% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.55% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.76% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.91% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.91% by weight. B6. The method of any of sections B 1-B5 wherein the fluid is water.

B7. The method of any of sections B1-B6, wherein the water is distilled water.

B8. The method of any of sections B1-B7, further comprising performing a vascular simulation using the blood mimicking fluid.

B9. The method of section B8, wherein performing the vascular simulation includes performing the vascular simulation at 37° C. [0040] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein.

These described embodiments are examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual embodiment may be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous embodiment-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developers’ specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one embodiment to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0041] The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements in the preceding descriptions. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. For example, any element described in relation to an embodiment herein may be combinable with any element of any other embodiment described herein Numbers, percentages, ratios, or other values stated herein are intended to include that value, and also other values that are “about” or “approximately” the stated value, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art encompassed by embodiments of the present disclosure. A stated value should therefore be interpreted broadly enough to encompass values that are at least close enough to the stated value to perform a desired function or achieve a desired result. The stated values include at least the variation to be expected in a suitable manufacturing or production process, and may include values that are within 5%, within 1%, within 0.1%, or within 0.01% of a stated value.

[0042] A person having ordinary skill in the art should realize in view of the present disclosure that equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and alterations may be made to embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Equivalent constructions, including functional “means-plus-function” clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function, including both structural equivalents that operate in the same manner, and equivalent structures that provide the same function. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke means-plus-function or other functional claiming for any claim except for those in which the words ‘means for’ appear together with an associated function. Each addition, deletion, and modification to the embodiments that falls within the meaning and scope of the claims is to be embraced by the claims. [0043] The terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” as used herein represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of a stated amount. Further, it should be understood that any directions or reference frames in the preceding description are merely relative directions or movements. For example, any references to “up” and “down” or “above” or “below” are merely descriptive of the relative position or movement of the related elements. [0044] The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 A composition comprising: a mixture, the mixture including polyethylene glycol (PEG), a sugar, a synthetic polymer, an emulsifier, and a surfactant, wherein the PEG, having a molecular weight of 3000-4000 Da, is present in about 48% by weight, the sugar is present in about 29% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in about 11% by weight, the emulsifier is present in about 6% by weight, and the surfactant is present in about 6% by weight, and the mixture is soluble in an aqueous medium.

2 The composition of claim 1, wherein the PEG is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the PEG is present in 47.9% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.6% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.7% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.9% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.9% by weight.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the PEG is present in 47.87% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.55% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.76% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.91% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.91% by weight.

5. The composition claim 1, further comprising an aqueous medium, wherein the mixture constitutes about 16% by weight of the composition and the aqueous medium constitutes about 84% by weight of the composition.

6 The composition claim 1, further comprising an aqueous medium, wherein the mixture constitutes about 16.0% by weight of the composition and the aqueous medium constitutes about 84.0% by weight of the composition.

7. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an aqueous medium, wherein the mixture constitutes about 16.02% by weight of the composition and the aqueous medium constitutes about 83.98% by weight of the composition.

8. The composition of claim 7, wherein the PEG is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the mixture is a powder.

10. A method for forming a blood mimicking fluid, comprising: providing a BMF powder, the BMF powder including about 48% by weight polyethylene glycol (PEG), about 29% by weight sugar, about 11% by weight synthetic polymer, about 6% by weight emulsifier, and about 6% by weight surfactant; combining the BMF powder with an aqueous medium to form a BMF mixture; and agitating the BMF mixture until the BMF powder dissolves in the aqueous medium.

11 The method of claim 10, wherein agitating the BMF mixture includes agitating for less than 1 minute.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the PEG is PEG3000, the sugar is fructose, the synthetic polymer is Orgasol, the emulsifier is Synperonic A7, and the surfactant is NatraSense LF8.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the PEG is present in 47.9% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.6% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.7% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.9% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.9% by weight.

14 The method of claim 13, wherein the PEG is present in 47.87% by weight, the sugar is present in 29.55% by weight, the synthetic polymer is present in 10.76% by weight, the emulsifier is present in 5.91% by weight, and the surfactant is present in 5.91% by weight.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the aqueous medium is distilled water.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing a simulated medical procedure using the blood mimicking fluid.

17. A method for implementing a simulated medical procedure, comprising: preparing a blood mimicking fluid (BMF) by mixing a BMF powder with an aqueous medium; injecting the BMF into a training apparatus; and performing the simulated procedure using the BMF in the training apparatus at 37° C.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising performing a physical measurement while performing the simulated procedure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the physical measurement is an ultrasonic imaging measurement.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the BMF has echogenic properties that are the same as human blood.