Adjustable-Dimension Catheter for Venous Ablation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrosurgical catheters for treating venous reflux disease have fixed lengths and diameters, which are not adaptable to the varying dimensions of the Saphenous Veins in patients, necessitating multiple catheters for different vein sizes during a single procedure.
Innovation Solution
Development of an adjustable-dimension catheter with interchangeable heating elements of varying lengths and diameters, connected via a shaft with stepped electrical contacts, allowing automatic power adjustment based on detected length and diameter for precise energy delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-length catheter is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to varying vein dimensions in different patients or locations
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is divided into multiple discrete segments that can be independently selected and attached to the catheter shaft. Each segment has a specific length and diameter configuration, allowing the operator to choose the appropriate segment for the specific vein being treated. This segmentation enables adaptability to different vein dimensions while keeping each individual segment relatively simple in structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter system is designed with a universal shaft and connector interface that can accommodate multiple different heating element segments. The standardized connector allows the same catheter shaft to work with various heating segments of different lengths and diameters, making the system multi-functional and adaptable to different treatment scenarios without requiring multiple specialized catheters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple catheters are used for different vein sizes, then each catheter can be optimized for specific dimensions, but the procedure requires multiple device changes and increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system provides multi-functionality by enabling a single shaft to perform multiple treatment functions across different vein sizes through interchangeable heating segments. This eliminates the need to switch between multiple complete catheter devices, thereby maintaining procedure efficiency while achieving adaptability to different vein dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces dynamic configurability to the catheter by allowing the heating element to be changed during the procedure. The quick-connect mechanism enables rapid exchange of heating segments without requiring complete catheter removal or complex reconfiguration, thus maintaining high productivity while adapting to different treatment requirements.
3Length of moving object
If the heating element length is increased, then larger veins can be treated, but the electrical contact configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is segmented into modular sections with standardized electrical contacts. Each segment has predetermined contact configurations that simplify the overall design. When segments are combined to create longer heating elements, the electrical contacts are pre-configured to ensure proper connectivity, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from custom wiring for each length configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses standardized electrical contact parameters and configurations that remain consistent across different heating segment lengths. By maintaining standard contact spacing, geometry, and electrical properties, the system allows heating element length to vary while keeping the electrical contact configuration complexity manageable through parameter standardization.
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
Enables a single catheter to be used across different vein sizes without interrupting the procedure, improving efficiency and patient outcomes by ensuring optimal energy delivery for effective tissue ablation.
Implementation Method 1
The heating segment may use RF energy driven by the RF generator to heat and seal the vein
Implementation Method 2
Electrosurgical heating may use radio frequency current to apply energy to create targeted tissue ablation
Implementation Method 3
a shaft connector having a plurality of shaft electrical contacts... the first and second heating element electrical contact configurations are different, such that the first heating element electrical contacts contact a first combination of the shaft electrical contacts
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
AI summary
The present embodiments enable the length and/or diameter of the heating segment of a medical treatment device to be adjusted on the fly during a treatment procedure, without a need to interrupt the procedure, thus allowing a single catheter to be used at different locations in a hollow anatomical structure.