Actively Deflectable Urethral Catheter for Curved Anatomy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing urinary catheters face challenges in navigating the curved and irregular shape of the male urethra, leading to potential urethral damage, false passages, and difficulty in insertion, especially in cases with previous prostatic surgery, and require a steerable design suitable for tactile insertion without radiological or visual guidance.
Innovation Solution
A urinary catheter with a deflectable tip portion and a flexible steering mechanism, allowing the catheter to follow the natural curvature of the urethra, featuring a hollow body with a main channel for urine drainage and additional channels for steering members, enabling deflection up to 90 degrees without lateral torsion, and a simple engagement mechanism for manual control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a straight flexible catheter is used, then the catheter can be easily inserted, but it cannot follow the curved urethra and may cause urethral damage
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates a deflectable tip section that can be actively steered during insertion to dynamically adapt to the curved anatomy of the urethra. The tip portion can be deflected from a straight condition to a deflected condition, allowing the catheter to follow the natural curve of the urethra while maintaining ease of insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is divided into distinct sections: a straight elongate portion for easy insertion, a deflectable tip portion for navigating curves, and a transition zone. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function - the straight portion provides ease of insertion while the deflectable tip follows the urethral curve.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a Coudé tip catheter with fixed curve is used, then the catheter can follow the curved urethra, but it is difficult to pass through the straight distal urethra
Solution Approach 1:
Unlike fixed Coudé tips, this catheter has a dynamically adjustable tip that can be deflected as needed. The tip can be in a generally straight condition for passing through the straight distal urethra, then deflected to follow the curved proximal urethra, providing adaptability that fixed curves cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter tip's curvature parameter can be changed from straight to deflected during the insertion process. This parameter change allows the catheter to adapt to different anatomical sections - straight for the distal urethra and curved for the proximal urethra - optimizing passage through both regions.
3Productivity
If a rigid catheter introducer is used, then the catheter can be forced through the urethra, but it causes major trauma to the urethra
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter uses a flexible tip portion made of compliant material that can bend and conform to the urethral wall without causing trauma. This flexible shell approach replaces the rigid introducer, allowing the catheter to be steered through curves by following the natural anatomy rather than forcing passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid mechanical forcing system of traditional introducers is replaced with a flexible steering mechanism. Instead of using rigid force to push through curves, the catheter uses flexible deflection of the tip to navigate the curved urethra, substituting a gentler mechanical approach.
4Ease of operation
If a steerable device with complex mechanism is used, then the catheter can be precisely directed, but the device becomes too complex for disposable use
Solution Approach 1:
The steering function is segmented into a simple pull-wire mechanism that runs through the catheter wall. This segmented approach allows the tip to be deflected independently while keeping the rest of the catheter simple and suitable for disposable use. The complex steering function is isolated to a minimal mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering mechanism is extracted as a separate, minimal component (pull-wire system) that can be easily integrated into a disposable catheter. By taking out only the essential steering elements rather than incorporating a complex overall mechanism, the catheter remains simple enough for disposable use while providing steering capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates safe and effective catheterization with reduced urethral trauma, suitable for self-insertion by patients or healthcare providers, using tactile feedback, and is cost-effective, lightweight, and suitable for disposable use.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible steering member situated in an additional channel, with the steering member being secured within the additional channel at the tip portion and configured for engagement by a user externally of the catheter to deflect the tip portion
Data Source
AI summary
A urinary catheter with deflectable tip, comprising a hollow catheter body configured to be inserted within the urethra of a patient, the catheter body having an elongate portion, a tip portion near a distal end of the elongate portion and an engagement portion spaced from the distal end where a user can grasp the catheter, the tip portion being deflectable for the purpose of steering the catheter within the urethra to allow the catheter to follow a natural curvature of the urethra, the tip portion being movable from a generally straight condition to a deflected condition wherein deflection of the tip portion occurs while the elongate portion remains generally straight.