{
    "title": "Magnetic Sepsis Filter - MediSieve System",
    "inventor_name": "George FRODSHAM",
    "publication_year": 2017,
    "device_name": "MediSieve",
    "goal": "Remove pathogenic microbes and infected blood cells from a patient's bloodstream using magnetic filtration.",
    "problem_addressed": "Life-threatening sepsis and malaria infections caused by blood-borne pathogens.",
    "concept_summary": "Blood is circulated through an extracorporeal loop containing a magnetic filter made of stacked planar magnetic meshes and external magnets. Magnetic particles or nanoparticles bind to microbes or infected cells; the magnetic field then captures these bound targets, allowing clean blood to be returned to the patient.",
    "detailed_description": "The MediSieve system consists of a container with inlet and outlet ports, a filter bed of multiple planar magnetic wire meshes, and permanent magnets on opposite faces of the container. Blood is pumped from the patient's arm through the container; magnetic particles added to the blood bind to bacteria, endotoxins, or malaria-infected red cells. The magnetic field gradient produced by the magnets and the mesh stack captures the bound particles, while laminar, three-dimensional flow through the mesh stack maximises encounter probability without causing turbulence. The filtered blood is returned to the patient. The device can be operated with a pump, saline drip unit, and pressure/air detectors as needed.",
    "category": "Electromagnetism & Magnetism",
    "principles": [
        "Magnetic separation",
        "Laminar flow channelization",
        "Magnetic field gradient capture"
    ],
    "scientific_domains": [
        "Biomedical Engineering",
        "Magnetism",
        "Hematology"
    ],
    "mechanisms_of_action": [
        "Magnetic attraction of labeled microbes or infected cells",
        "Capture of magnetic targets in a high-gradient field within the mesh stack",
        "Laminar flow to increase contact probability"
    ],
    "materials": [
        "Metal-wire magnetic meshes",
        "Permanent magnets (e.g., neodymium)",
        "Polymer container housing",
        "Magnetic nanoparticles/particles (optional)",
        "Saline solution"
    ],
    "energy_sources": [
        "Electricity (for pump and sensors)"
    ],
    "inputs": [
        "Patient blood",
        "Magnetic particles or nanoparticles (if used)",
        "Saline solution"
    ],
    "outputs": [
        "Cleaned blood returned to patient",
        "Captured microbes / infected cells (waste)",
        "Spent magnetic particles (if not recirculated)"
    ],
    "claimed_performance": "Device could reduce infection burden by 90 % within 3.5 hours and is intended to save thousands of lives from sepsis and malaria.",
    "experimental_evidence": "Prototype exists; described as \"in-lab concept work\". No quantitative performance data or peer-reviewed studies are provided.",
    "replication_status": null,
    "keywords": [
        "sepsis",
        "magnetic filter",
        "MediSieve",
        "blood purification",
        "malaria",
        "hemofiltration",
        "magnetic nanoparticles"
    ],
    "related_technologies": [
        "Dialysis",
        "Hemodialysis",
        "Magnetic separation",
        "Extracorporeal blood treatment"
    ],
    "controversy_level": "low",
    "confidence_score": 0.85,
    "practicability_score": 0.6,
    "fringe_score": 0.2,
    "evidence_strength": 0.3,
    "risk_score": 0.3,
    "trl_estimate": 4,
    "source_urls": [
        "http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4532210/Sepsis-sieve-save-thousands-lives.html",
        "https://www.medisieve.com/",
        "https://patents.google.com/patent/US2017072128"
    ],
    "organizations": [
        "Wellcome Trust",
        "Innovate UK",
        "MediSieve Ltd."
    ],
    "applications": [
        "Sepsis treatment in intensive care units",
        "Malaria treatment (removal of infected red cells)",
        "General blood-borne pathogen removal"
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Only a prototype; no clinical trial data yet",
        "Requires external pump and extracorporeal circuit",
        "Effectiveness depends on magnetic labeling of targets"
    ],
    "open_questions": [
        "What is the safety profile of magnetic particles in patients?",
        "How does the device perform in real-world clinical settings?",
        "Can the technology be scaled cost-effectively for widespread use?",
        "What regulatory hurdles must be cleared?"
    ],
    "red_flags": [
        "Claims are based on early-stage prototype without published efficacy data."
    ],
    "evidence_quotes": [
        "'We have got a prototype but at the moment this is in-lab concept work.'",
        "'It should take a couple of hours to get through the entire blood flow, but that will change person to person.'",
        "'The device could reduce a child's infection burden by 90 per cent in just 3.5 hours.'",
        "'Magnetic particles are added... they are designed to seek out and bind to the dangerous bacteria... Once bonded together, they are caught by a powerful magnet.'",
        "'The magnetic particles never enter the body.'"
    ]
}