Atherectomy Catheter Cutting Element With Recessed Raised Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Atherectomy catheters face challenges in effectively cutting both soft and hard tissues, such as calcified plaque, during the removal process, as existing cutting elements may not adequately address the variability in tissue hardness.
Innovation Solution
The atherectomy catheter features a cutting element with a sharp cup-shaped surface and raised elements that are recessed from the cutting edge, allowing for effective cutting of soft tissue while the raised elements help break up hard tissue with a more blunt force, maintaining a smooth surface area for efficient tissue direction into a chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a sharp cutting edge is used to cut soft tissue, then cutting efficiency for soft tissue is improved, but the ability to cut hard tissue (calcified plaque) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting element incorporates different surface characteristics in different locations: a smooth cup-shaped surface for directing soft tissue and raised elements with blunt edges for breaking hard tissue. This local differentiation allows each region to perform its specialized function effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting element is divided into functional segments: the sharp cutting edge/cup-shaped surface for soft tissue cutting and the raised elements for hard tissue breaking. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each region for its specific purpose.
2Adaptability or versatility
If raised elements are added to break hard tissue, then ability to cut hard tissue is improved, but tissue direction capability deteriorates due to surface interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The raised elements are positioned to occupy less than 60 degrees of the circumferential surface, ensuring that the majority of the cup-shaped surface remains smooth and uninterrupted for effective tissue direction, while still providing sufficient raised element coverage for hard tissue breaking.
3Adaptability or versatility
If raised elements are positioned close to the cutting edge, then hard tissue breaking capability is improved, but soft tissue cutting capability deteriorates due to interference
Solution Approach 1:
The raised elements are recessed from the cutting edge by a controlled distance (0.0010-0.0020 inch), allowing them to act preliminarily on hard tissue before the sharp cutting edge encounters it, preventing the cutting edge from being damaged or deflected by hard tissue.
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 solution enables the catheter to efficiently cut and remove both soft and hard tissues, including calcified plaque, by utilizing a sharp cutting edge and strategically positioned raised elements that minimize interference with tissue direction, enhancing the catheter's ability to manage tissue variability.
Implementation Method 1
The cutting element has a sharp cutting edge that surrounds a cup shaped surface. The cup-shaped surface directs the material, which has been cut into a tissue chamber.
Implementation Method 2
The raised elements help to break up had tissue such as calcified plaque. The raised elements are somewhat recessed from the distal end so that the cutting edge remains exposed to cut soft tissue. When the cutting element encounters tissue, which is too hard to be cut sufficiently by the cutting edge, the raised elements help to break the harder tissue with a more blunt application of force.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter is provided, which includes a cutting element having one or more raised elements. The cutting element has a cup-shaped surface at the distal end that may be smooth and continuous except for the raised elements.