Arch-Shaped Laser Catheter Tip for Vascular Tissue Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices and methods are inadequate for effectively removing unwanted and diseased tissue, such as lesions or fibrous tissue, from a patient's vasculature system without causing damage to healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
A laser catheter with an open arch-shaped tip and optical fibers, where the tip's inner and outer surfaces are arcuate, allowing for precise ablation and separation of diseased tissue within the vasculature, and facilitating its removal by emitting laser energy in a pattern that dilates and separates vascular layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional laser catheters with linear or circular tips are used, then the laser energy is delivered uniformly, but the ability to separate and remove diseased tissue from healthy tissue is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is designed with an arch-shaped cross-sectional profile featuring curved arcuate surfaces instead of linear or circular geometries. This curvature enables the tip to conform to the natural arching structure of vascular layers, improving its ability to separate diseased tissue from healthy tissue while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The arch-shaped tip creates segmented laser emission zones along its length, with different arcuate surfaces (first, second, third, and fourth surfaces) that can be independently configured. This segmentation allows precise control over which vascular layers are targeted for ablation at different locations along the catheter shaft.
2Productivity
If the catheter tip ablates diseased tissue between vascular layers, then the diseased tissue is removed, but the risk of damaging healthy vascular structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arch-shaped tip with its multiple arcuate surfaces provides different local geometries at different positions along the catheter. Each surface can be optimized for specific ablation depths and patterns, allowing selective removal of diseased tissue while preserving healthy vascular structures through precise local control of laser energy delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved arcuate surfaces of the arch-shaped tip naturally follow the contour of vascular layers, enabling the laser energy to be delivered along the natural curvature of the vessel wall. This curvature-based design concentrates ablation energy on diseased tissue while automatically limiting penetration depth to protect healthy underlying structures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the catheter uses a simple tip geometry, then the device is easier to manufacture, but the ability to dilate and separate vascular layers is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The arch-shaped tip with its four arcuate surfaces serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a separator to divide vascular layers, a dilator to expand the vessel lumen, and an ablation template to guide laser energy delivery. This multi-functional design achieves versatile performance without requiring multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The inherent curvature of the arch-shaped tip provides mechanical advantage for separating and dilating vascular layers while the same curved geometry guides laser energy delivery. The arcuate surfaces naturally conform to and separate the layered structure of blood vessels, providing both mechanical and optical functionality through a single geometric feature.
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
The catheter effectively ablates and separates diseased tissue from healthy tissue, enabling its removal while minimizing damage to the vascular structure, thus addressing the need for a precise and efficient method to clear lesions and fibrous tissue from the vasculature.
Implementation Method 1
the exposed end of the optical fiber is exposed at the tip
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, methods and systems for removing unwanted tissue from within a patient's vasculature system are provided. Specifically, a laser ablation catheter having a tip with an open, arched-shaped cross section is described. The cross section of the tip enhances the catheter's ability to ablate, separate, and/or dilate the various layers within a patient's vasculature, thereby facilitating the removal undesirable lesions and fibrous tissue within a patient's vasculature.