Intravascular Balloon Catheter for Plaque Scoring With Lower Wall Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing angioplasty procedures risk damaging artery walls and can be ineffective for long sections of atheromatous plaque, while known atherectomy devices may not adequately fragment or score plaque.
Innovation Solution
An intravascular balloon device with a selectively operable inflatable balloon and attached tools, such as blades or burrs, that can inflate to contact and excise, fragment, or score atheromatous plaque, allowing for controlled plaque removal or scoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If high pressure is applied to compress atheromatous plaque during angioplasty, then plaque compression is improved, but artery wall damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the plaque removal function from the compression function by introducing a separate atherectomy device with cutting elements. Instead of relying solely on compression to treat plaque, the device actively removes plaque material through cutting or scoring actions, allowing effective treatment at lower pressures that don't damage the artery wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The device segments the treatment process into distinct functional zones: an inflatable balloon for stabilization, cutting elements for plaque removal, and a deflated state for navigation. This segmentation allows the plaque treatment function to be separated from the high-pressure compression that causes damage.
2Ease of operation
If a single angioplasty balloon deployment is used, then treatment simplicity is improved, but effectiveness for long plaque sections deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is divided into multiple independently controllable segments or zones, each capable of inflation and deflation. This allows the operator to inflate only the portions needed to treat specific plaque sections, enabling effective treatment of long plaque deposits while maintaining operational simplicity through selective activation of individual segments.
3Reliability
If known atherectomy devices with rotating blades are used, then plaque removal capability is improved, but plaque fragmentation and scoring effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates different types of cutting elements at different locations on the balloon surface. Some areas have scoring elements for creating fractures, while others have cutting elements for removal. This local differentiation allows the device to perform both fragmentation and scoring functions simultaneously, achieving precise plaque modification without compromising removal capability.
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 device provides a stable platform for plaque removal or scoring, minimizing arterial damage and effectively treating atherosclerosis by fragmenting or excising plaque, suitable for various medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The balloon portion is selectively operable by the user to inflate and deflate between a closed position, wherein the balloon portion has a first diameter, and an opened position, wherein the balloon portion has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for fragmenting atherosclerotic material within a zone of attention within a blood vessel are provided. An intravascular catheter device includes a balloon and a plurality of incising devices spaced apart about an outer surface of the balloon and extending parallel with a longitudinal axis of the balloon. The balloon is manipulated along a guide wire to a distal portion of the zone of attention. The balloon is inflated and retracted along the zone of attention to incise and fragment the atherosclerotic material. The balloon is deflated.