Catheter

Abstract

A catheter according to an embodiment is disclosed. In a catheter connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device, the catheter may comprise: a catheter body; and a wire which guides the intravascular insertion of the catheter body, wherein the catheter body may have, at an end portion thereof, an adjustable means for controlling a direction of outflow from the catheter body, and the adjustable means may be provided to form the end portion of the catheter body into a U-shape.

Description

catheter

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to catheters, for example, catheters connected to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation devices.

[0002] The heart is a muscular organ located on the left side of the chest and is essential for sustaining life. It consists of four chambers: two atria at the top and two ventricles at the bottom. Valves between the atria and ventricles prevent the backflow of blood. The atria and ventricles are separated into left and right chambers to prevent mixing of blood, and are divided into the left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, and right ventricle.

[0003] The heart circulates blood throughout the body through contraction and relaxation. Venous blood, deoxygenated by supplying oxygen to the entire body, enters the right atrium and is pumped through the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. Blood, fully oxygenated in the lungs, then enters the left atrium and left ventricle through the pulmonary veins, before being pumped throughout the body through the aorta.

[0004] Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used to support heart and lung function. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a mechanical device used to temporarily support heart and lung function in patients with severe cardiopulmonary failure who do not respond to optimal conventional treatment, or in patients whose heart or lung function is impaired and cannot be sustained with conventional treatment.

[0005] For example, Korean Patent Publication No. KR 101634087B1 discloses a device and method for controllably assisting the movement of the mitral valve.

[0006] The background technology described above is possessed or acquired during the process of deriving the present disclosure, and cannot necessarily be said to be a publicly known technology disclosed to the general public prior to the filing of the present disclosure.

[0007] The purpose of one embodiment is to provide a catheter that assists the left ventricle of a patient.

[0008] An object according to one embodiment may be to provide a catheter that enhances the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta.

[0009] The purpose, according to one embodiment, is to provide a catheter that circulates blood throughout the body to assist the vital heart functions.

[0010] An object, according to one embodiment, is to provide a catheter that is inserted into a blood vessel and connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device to supply oxygenated blood to a patient.

[0011] The purpose of one embodiment is to reduce catheterization to overcome Harlequin syndrome and reduce left ventricular load.

[0012] According to one embodiment, a catheter is connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device, wherein the catheter may include a catheter body and a wire for guiding insertion of the catheter body into a blood vessel, and an end of the catheter body may be provided with a variable means for controlling the direction in which the wire flows out from the catheter body, and the variable means may configure the end of the catheter body into a U shape.

[0013] In one embodiment, one end of the variable means may be arranged parallel to the direction in which the outlet of the end of the catheter body faces, and the other end of the variable means may be arranged to face in the opposite direction to the direction in which the outlet faces.

[0014] The above variable means can change its shape from a straight line to a U-shape after being inserted into a blood vessel.

[0015] The above variable means may include a shape memory alloy.

[0016] The above variable means is guided toward the ascending aorta by the above wire and can change the direction of the generated blood flow according to the direction of blood flow exiting from the left ventricle.

[0017] The above variable means can be placed in the ascending aorta.

[0018] The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device is disposed at the other end of the catheter, and the generated blood flow can be formed from the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device toward the variable means.

[0019] In one embodiment, the catheter may assist the patient's left ventricle.

[0020] In one embodiment, the catheter may enhance the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta.

[0021] In one embodiment, the catheter can assist the vital heart function by circulating blood throughout the body.

[0022] In one embodiment, the catheter may be inserted into a blood vessel and connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device to supply oxygenated blood to the patient.

[0023] In one embodiment, the catheter can overcome Harlequin syndrome and reduce left ventricular load.

[0024] The effects of the catheter according to one embodiment are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0025] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of specific embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] Figure 1 is a first use state of a catheter according to one embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2 is a second use state of a catheter according to one embodiment.

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments may be modified in various ways, and the scope of the patent application is not limited or restricted by these embodiments. It should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, or alternatives to the embodiments are included within the scope of the patent application.

[0029] The terms used in the examples are for the purpose of description only and should not be construed as limiting. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprises" or "has" and the like are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood to not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments pertain. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0031] In addition, when describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing numbers, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. When describing embodiments, if a detailed description of a related known technology is judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiment, the detailed description will be omitted.

[0032] Additionally, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used to describe components of the embodiments. These terms are only intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the nature, order, or sequence of the components are not limited by the terms. When a component is described as being "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component may also be "connected," "coupled," or "connected" between each component.

[0033] Components included in one embodiment and components with common functions will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the descriptions given in one embodiment may also apply to other embodiments, and detailed descriptions will be omitted to the extent of overlap.

[0034] A catheter (10) according to one embodiment can enhance the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. After gas exchange occurs in the pulmonary capillaries, oxygenated arterial blood is received by the left atrium through the pulmonary vein, and then the left ventricle can receive arterial blood from the left atrium and move the blood to the aorta through left ventricular contraction. Here, a catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be placed at the external entrance of the left ventricle within the aorta (e.g., the ascending aorta) to discharge oxygenated blood supplied from an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200).

[0035] For example, the variable means (110) of the catheter (10) according to one embodiment may be positioned in the ascending aorta. When blood flow is directed in the forward direction by the variable means (110), negative pressure is formed between the end of the ascending aorta and the left ventricle, and this negative pressure may reduce the load on the left ventricle.

[0036] In this way, the flow of oxygenated blood from the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) can be added to the flow of arterial blood moving to the aorta by the catheter (10) according to one embodiment. This blood flow can spread throughout the body through the aorta, thereby supplying oxygenated blood to the body. Then, the arterial blood is converted into venous blood throughout the body, and the venous blood moves to the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava, so that the right atrium receives the venous blood, and the right ventricle receives the venous blood that has entered the right atrium, and the contraction of the right ventricle can move the venous blood to the pulmonary artery.

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a first use state of a catheter (10) according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 illustrates a second use state of a catheter (10) according to one embodiment. The catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200). The use states of the catheter (10) according to one embodiment are not limited to those presented in the drawings of the present disclosure.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a catheter (10) may include a catheter body (100) and a wire (not shown) that guides insertion of the catheter body (100) into a blood vessel. For example, the catheter body (100) may be formed by manufacturing a material having excellent biocompatibility, such as natural latex, polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC resin), or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

[0039] One end (101) of the catheter body (100) may be provided with a variable means (110) for controlling the direction of flow out of the catheter body (100), and the variable means (110) may be configured to form the end (101) of the catheter body (100) into a U-shape (or C-shape).

[0040] One end (1101) of the variable means (110) may be arranged parallel to the direction in which the outlet of one end (101) of the catheter body (100) faces. The other end (1102) of the variable means (110) may be arranged to face in the opposite direction to the direction in which the outlet faces.

[0041] Here, when the variable means (110) controls the direction in which the variable means (110) flows out from the catheter body (100), the shape of the variable means (110) is changed so that one end (1101) of the variable means (110) and the other end (1102) of the variable means (110) are parallel to each other, thereby converting one end (101) of the catheter body (100) into a U shape.

[0042] In this way, the variable means (110) can change its shape from a straight line to a U-shape after being inserted into a blood vessel.

[0043] For example, the variable means (110) may be configured to include a shape memory alloy. For example, when the variable means (110) reaches a target location to be converted into a U-shape, such as the left ventricle, a current may be applied to the variable means (110) through the catheter body (100) to cause it to reach a specific temperature, thereby causing the variable means (110) to be converted into a U-shape.

[0044] In one embodiment, the variable means (110) may further include a shape memory alloy adjuster.

[0045] For example, the shape memory alloy adjuster may be composed of a shape memory alloy dilator. The shape memory alloy dilator may be moved along with the variable means (110) into the ascending aorta, such that the variable means (110) maintains its U-shaped previous shape. When the shape memory alloy dilator is withdrawn from one end (101) of the catheter body (100), the variable means (110) may change its shape to a U-shape.

[0046] In another example, the shape memory alloy adjuster may be configured with an adjustment lever. The adjustment lever is located at the other end of the catheter body (100) and can change the shape of the variable means (110) into a U-shape.

[0047] A catheter (10) connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) receives oxygenated blood from the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200), and the catheter (10) discharges the supplied oxygenated blood in accordance with the direction of blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta, thereby forming a generated blood flow.

[0048] The variable means (110) can be guided toward the left ventricle by a wire. After the variable means (110) is guided toward the left ventricle, the direction of the generated blood flow can be changed according to the direction of blood flow leaving the left ventricle.

[0049] Here, the variable means (110) may be placed outside the left ventricle (e.g., the ascending aorta). The shape may be transformed into a U shape as the variable means (110) is placed near the outside of the left ventricle within the aorta.

[0050] In one embodiment, the catheter body (100) may include a side opening. Blood flow exiting through the side opening may assist in forward blood flow.

[0051] An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) may be placed at the other end of the catheter (10) so that at least a portion of the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) may be connected. At this time, a generated blood flow may be formed from the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device toward the variable means (110).

[0052] At least a portion of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) may be connected to the other end of the catheter (10). For example, a catheter connection portion (210) of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) may be connected to the other end of the catheter (10).

[0053] An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) may include a series of devices, such as an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (230) that performs the process of adding oxygen to the blood in place of the lungs, a centrifugal blood pump (220) that drives a device that returns oxygenated blood to the heart, and a circuit that regulates oxygen and carbon dioxide.

[0054] An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) can drain blood through a drainage catheter inserted into the body, remove carbon dioxide through an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (230) during extracorporeal circulation, supply oxygen, and then re-inject the oxygenated blood through a return catheter for recirculation. The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) can drain blood into the body through a drainage catheter inserted into the body through a centrifugal blood pump (220).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the catheter (10) may be inserted into a portion of a large blood vessel for use. Depending on the type of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200), the insertion path of the catheter (10) through the blood vessel may vary, and the location of the blood vessel, such as the shoulder, neck, or thigh, may vary.

[0056] An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device (200) is a device that extracts blood from a patient's body through a vein, removes carbon dioxide and waste products from the blood through an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (230), injects oxygen, and then returns the blood back into the patient's body through a vein or artery. When blood is extracted from a vein and put into an artery, it is called venoarterial ECMO (VA-ECMO), and when blood extracted from a vein and put back into a vein, it is called venovenous ECMO (VV-ECMO).

[0057] Veno-arterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) can be used primarily for patients with heart failure. For VA-ECMO, a catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be inserted into the aorta (coronary artery or esophageal artery) and vena cava. When the catheter (10) according to one embodiment, which discharges blood, is positioned in a vein and the drained blood passes through an oxygenator, the oxygen-enriched blood can be supplied to the artery via the catheter (10) according to one embodiment.

[0058] In the case of VA ECMO, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can perform the function of simultaneously assisting the heart and lungs.

[0059] For patients with respiratory failure, venovenous (VV) ECMO may be used. For VV ECMO, a catheter (10) according to one embodiment may be inserted primarily into the vena cava or inferior vena cava. When the catheter (10) according to one embodiment, which discharges blood, is positioned in a vein, and the drained blood passes through an oxygenator, the oxygenated blood may return to the vein via the catheter (10) according to one embodiment.

[0060] In the case of VV ECMO, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can perform the function of assisting lung function.

[0061] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the state of use of a catheter (10) according to one embodiment will be described.

[0062] Contraction of the left ventricle pumps blood into the aorta, which is connected to the left ventricle. The aorta branches from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta, aortic arch, descending thoracic aorta, and abdominal aorta, before branching into the common iliac artery in the lower abdomen. The common iliac artery then branches into the femoral artery.

[0063] In particular, referring to FIG. 1, in a first use state of a catheter (10) according to one embodiment, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be inserted into the femoral artery. At this time, the end of the catheter body (100) is in a straight state. Then, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be moved to the aortic arch and ascending aorta via a wire. Then, after the catheter (10) passes through the aortic arch and reaches the ascending aorta, the end of the catheter body (100) can be converted into a U-shape via a variable means (110).

[0064] In particular, referring to FIG. 2, in a second use state of the catheter (10) according to one embodiment, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be inserted into a blood vessel branching from the aortic arch and leading to the brain and the weak upper limb. At this time, the end of the catheter body (100) is in a straight state. Then, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can be moved to the aortic arch and the ascending aorta through a wire. Then, after the catheter (10) passes through the aortic arch and reaches the ascending aorta, the end of the catheter body (100) can be converted into a U-shape through a variable means (110).

[0065] In this way, when the catheter (10) according to one embodiment reaches a specific location, such as a blood discharge location of the catheter (10), an operation such as flowing current to the variable means (110) of the catheter (10) causes the shape memory alloy of the variable means (110) to reach a specific temperature and change shape, so that the end of the catheter body (100) can be converted into a U-shape by the variable means (110).

[0066] For example, according to one embodiment, the catheter (10) may have the end of the catheter body (100) positioned within the ascending aorta. In this way, the catheter (10) according to one embodiment can significantly reduce the possibility of Harlequin syndrome by supplying oxygenated blood within the ascending aorta. Harlequin syndrome is a complication of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) that may occur when left ventricular function begins to recover. If the end of the catheter body (100) is not transformed into a U-shape but remains as is, Harlequin syndrome, in which blood with low oxygen saturation is mistakenly directed to the upper or lower extremities, may occur. The catheter (10) according to one embodiment can effectively prevent Harlequin syndrome by delivering blood with high oxygen saturation to the upper or lower extremities.

[0067] In one embodiment, a catheter (10) may be positioned so that right radial hypoxemia does not occur in the pulmonary vein through which blood flows to the left ventricle.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the catheter (10) can provide treatment even in cases where there is an abnormality or deformation (arteriosclerosis, occlusion, etc.) of an artery or vein.

[0069] The catheter (10) according to one embodiment is expected to have the effect of reducing the risk of thromboembolism and can maintain a smooth blood supply to arteries below the cannulation site. The catheter (10) according to one embodiment can prevent ischemia and necrosis in the lower extremities, thereby reducing the risk of pseudoaneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas, and arteriovenous occlusions.

[0070] A catheter (10) according to one embodiment can reduce the use of anticoagulants, thereby reducing hemorrhagic complications such as cerebral hemorrhage and intraperitoneal hemorrhage.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the catheter (10) can be expected to have the effect of reducing complications such as pulmonary edema and pulmonary hemorrhage by improving a situation in which pulmonary edema or pneumonia is severe and oxygen cannot be saturated in the lungs.

[0072] Meanwhile, the order of the methods of use described herein is not limited thereto and may be performed in a different order, at least one of the described operations may be omitted, or additional operations may be included before or after any of the described operations.

[0073] Although the embodiments described above have been described with limited drawings, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various technical modifications and variations can be applied based on the above. For example, appropriate results can still be achieved even if the described techniques are performed in a different order than described, and / or components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. are combined or combined in a different manner than described, or are replaced or substituted with other components or equivalents.

[0074] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and equivalents to the claims also fall within the scope of the claims described below.

Claims

1. In a catheter connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device, catheter body; and A wire that guides the insertion of the catheter body into a blood vessel; Including, The end of the catheter body is provided with a variable means for controlling the direction of blood flow flowing out of the catheter body, A catheter wherein the variable means is configured to bend the end of the catheter body.

2. In paragraph 1, A catheter wherein the variable means is configured to form a U-shaped end portion of the catheter body.

3. In paragraph 2, A catheter, wherein the catheter body includes a side opening.

4. In paragraph 2, A catheter, wherein one end of the variable means is arranged parallel to the direction in which the outlet of the end of the catheter body faces, and the other end of the variable means is arranged to face in the opposite direction to the direction in which the outlet faces.

5. In paragraph 4, The above variable means is a catheter whose shape changes from a straight line to a U-shape after being inserted into a blood vessel.

6. In paragraph 5, The above variable means is a catheter comprising a shape memory alloy.

7. In paragraph 6, A catheter wherein the variable means further comprises the shape memory alloy adjuster.

8. In paragraph 2, The above variable means is a catheter that is guided toward the ascending aorta by the above wire and changes the direction of the generated blood flow according to the direction of blood flow exiting the left ventricle.

9. In paragraph 8, The above variable means is a catheter placed in the ascending aorta.

10. In paragraph 2, A catheter, wherein the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device is disposed at the other end of the catheter, and a blood flow is formed from the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device toward the variable means.

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