Balloon-Tipped Catheter for Stable Nerve Block Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheters for administering anaesthetics to peripheral nerve sites face challenges such as instability at the nerve site, leading to reduced efficacy and shorter duration of pain relief, as well as risks of anaesthetic leakage and unintentional blocking, especially when nerves are close to the skin.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design featuring an inflatable balloon at the distal end, which maintains the catheter's position through inflation, allowing for precise placement and continuous anaesthetic delivery, with options for single or dual lumens for inflation and anaesthetic administration, and integration with needles or introducers for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If a catheter is inserted into the patient via a needle for continuous anaesthetic delivery, then the duration of pain relief is extended, but the catheter tip moves away from the nerve site due to patient movement, reducing efficacy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible membrane that seals around the nerve, creating a stable interface between the catheter and nerve site. This flexible seal accommodates patient movement while maintaining catheter position and preventing anaesthetic leakage, thus extending pain relief duration without compromising positioning reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a flexible membrane as an intermediary element between the catheter and the nerve. This membrane seal acts as a mediator that secures the catheter at the nerve site while allowing for physiological movements, thereby maintaining both extended duration of action and reliable positioning
2Stability of the object's composition
If a balloon is placed at the mid-shaft of the catheter for immobilization, then the catheter is snugged against the muscle tendon, but the tip still risks moving away from the nerve site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the balloon from the mid-shaft to the distal end of the catheter, a dimensional repositioning that allows the balloon to directly secure the tip at the nerve site rather than indirectly stabilizing the shaft. This dimensional change ensures both immobilization and tip positioning accuracy simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of stabilizing the catheter shaft and hoping the tip remains positioned, the patent inverts the approach by directly securing the tip itself at the nerve site using the balloon. This inverted strategy ensures tip positioning accuracy while achieving immobilization
3Ease of operation
If local anaesthetics are injected through a needle for peripheral nerve block, then the procedure is simple with low sterility demands, but the anaesthetics last only 4 to 12 hours, insufficient for prolonged pain relief
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by inserting the catheter through the needle during the initial simple injection procedure. The catheter remains in place after needle removal, enabling continuous anaesthetic delivery that extends pain relief beyond the 4-12 hour limitation of single-shot injections, while maintaining procedural simplicity
4Reliability
If a catheter with balloon is introduced using Seldinger technique with guide wire and dilator, then the balloon can be inflated to hold the catheter, but the catheter dimensions are too large for peripheral nerve block needles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by collapsing the balloon within the catheter structure during insertion through the needle. The compressed balloon-necessitating minimal space-allows the relatively large catheter with balloon to pass through small-gauge needles, then the balloon inflates at the destination to provide reliable positioning without requiring complex guide wire and dilator systems
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 balloon-catheter system ensures stable anaesthetic delivery close to the nerve site, reducing leakage and blocking risks, enabling prolonged pain relief even with patient movement, and simplifies manufacturing and use compared to prior art.
Implementation Method 1
a balloon (6) adapted to be inflated from a collapsed state to an inflated state by a fluid fed through the catheter tube (2) into an inner cavity (7) of the balloon
Data Source
Figure 1~3b
Figure 4a~5
Figure 6a~6c
AI summary
The invention relates to a catheter (1) for administering anaesthetics to a peripheral nerve site in a patient. The catheter (1) comprises a hollow, flexible catheter tube (2) having a first inner lumen (3) extending along a longitudinal axis of the catheter tube (2) from a proximal end (4) to a distal end (5) where a balloon (6) is arranged. The balloon (6) is adapted to be inflated from a collapsed state to an inflated state by a fluid fed through the catheter tube (2) into an inner cavity (7) of the balloon (6). The inflated balloon (6) is used to ensure that the distal end of the catheter (1) stays at the desired position at the peripheral nerve site. The catheter (1) may comprise a second lumen (10), so that the balloon (6) is inflated via one lumen and the anaesthetics is administered via the other lumen. The invention further relates to a needle-catheter kit and for a method of administering anaesthetics by use of such a catheter.