Arched Dilation Catheter for Curved Vessels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dilation catheters are ineffective in treating stenoses in curved vessels like the azygos vein due to their rectilinear expansion, which can lead to anatomic dislocation, rupture, or inadequate treatment of stenosis.

Innovation Solution

A flexible, expandable catheter with a distal balloon that retains an arched shape and includes a bellows-like or concertina-like structure, allowing it to conform to the curved vessel, featuring multiple communicating chambers or parallel balloons to maintain an arched pattern during expansion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional dilation catheters with rectilinear expansion are used, then the catheter structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the catheter causes anatomic dislocation, rupture, or inadequate treatment in curved vessels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety in curved vesselsVSAvoidcatheter structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter is designed with a curved or arched configuration instead of a straight rectilinear shape. The expandable portion is pre-formed to match the curvature of the target vessel (e.g., azygos vein), allowing it to conform to the vessel's natural anatomy during expansion and avoid causing dislocation or rupture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter structure is divided into multiple segments or sections, including a curved body portion and an expandable portion with distinct functional zones. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity in curved configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the catheter is made flexible to reach curved vessels, then the catheter can navigate tortuous anatomy, but the catheter loses the ability to generate sufficient dilation force

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconformability to curved vesselsVSAvoiddilation force

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the catheter have different mechanical properties. The body portion is made flexible to navigate curved vessels, while the expandable portion is designed with higher rigidity and structural support to generate sufficient dilation force against the vessel wall when activated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter transitions from a flexible, conformable state during navigation to a rigid, force-generating state during expansion. The expandable portion transforms its mechanical properties when inflated or expanded, providing the necessary stiffness to deliver effective dilation force while maintaining the ability to conform to the vessel's curved path.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the catheter expands rectilinearly, then the expansion is homogeneous and simple to control, but the catheter cannot treat stenoses in vessels with small radii of curvature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness in treating stenosesVSAvoidexpansion control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable portion is designed with a curved geometry that matches the vessel's arc. When activated, it expands along the curved path rather than rectilinearly, maintaining contact with the vessel wall throughout the expansion process and effectively treating stenoses in curved vessels with small radii of curvature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter's expansion parameters are adjusted to accommodate curved geometry. The expansion force, direction, and distribution are modified to follow the vessel's curvature, ensuring homogeneous expansion along the curved path while maintaining effectiveness in treating stenoses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 effective dilation of curved vessels while maintaining anatomical integrity, reducing the risk of dislocation and rupture, and allowing for optimal treatment of stenoses in vessels with small radii of curvature.

Implementation Method 1

A flexible, expandable catheter with a distal balloon adapted to expand and to generate an appreciable dilation force while retaining an arched shape

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

featuring multiple communicating chambers or parallel balloons to maintain an arched pattern during expansion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure equalization: Pascal's Law

Data Source

PatentEP2431067A1A dilation catheter

Publication Date: 2012.03.21 LONDON EQUITABLE & ITS CAPACITY TRUSTEE OF THE THINK TANK TRUST

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Figure 3~4
Figure 5A~5C

AI summary

A catheter (10) for treating stenotic sites in the human body (e.g. in the azygos vein) includes an expandable portion (12) having, when expanded, an arched shape. The arched shape may extends over an angle (α) of at least 90° degrees, and preferably of between 90° and 120° degrees, with a radius (R) of less than 3 centimetres, and preferably between 2 and 3 centimetres. The expandable portion (12) may include a flexible support member, and expandable members coupled to the support member to impart, when expanded, the desired arched shape to the flexible support member. Alternatively, the expandable portion (12) may includes an actuator member acting longitudinally of and sidewise to the expandable portion to impart thereto the desired arched shape.