Balloon Catheter Tension-Activated Release Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional balloon catheters, such as Foley catheters, cause urethral injury, non-deflating balloons, and tissue trauma during removal, leading to complications like urethral strictures, urinary tract infections, and retained balloon fragments.
Innovation Solution
A balloon catheter with a tension-activated release valve that allows fluid from the inflated balloon to be released into a fluid drainage lumen when tension is applied, facilitating safe removal without causing trauma by deflating the balloon.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the balloon is inflated to secure the catheter in place, then the catheter can be held firmly in the vessel, but removal causes urethral injury and tissue trauma
Solution Approach 1:
The release valve is pre-configured to automatically activate when removal force is applied, preemptively deflating the balloon before it can cause trauma during extraction. This preliminary action transforms the removal process from traumatic to safe by anticipating the need for deflation before the catheter exits the vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter system serves itself by automatically deflating the balloon through the tension-activated release valve when removal force is detected. The system monitors its own state through the tension indicator and autonomously transitions from retention mode to removal mode without external intervention, preventing the harmful effect of traumatic removal.
2Ease of operation
If tension is applied to remove the catheter, then the catheter can be extracted from the body, but the balloon may not deflate causing traumatic removal
Solution Approach 1:
The tension indicator provides visual feedback about the forces applied to the catheter, allowing the system to respond appropriately. When removal tension is detected, the feedback mechanism triggers the release valve to open, ensuring reliable balloon deflation. This feedback loop guarantees that the balloon will deflate under the correct conditions, preventing traumatic removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The release valve acts as an intermediary mechanism between the balloon inflation system and the catheter removal process. It mediates the transition by controlling fluid flow from the balloon based on detected tension, ensuring that the balloon deflates reliably during removal while maintaining inflation during use. This intermediary component bridges the contradiction between retention and safe removal.
3Reliability
If the balloon inflation lumen is blocked or valve is defective, then the balloon cannot deflate, but manual rupture causes tissue trauma and retained fragments
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system segments the deflation pathway into multiple independent routes: the primary balloon inflation lumen and the alternative release valve pathway. If the primary lumen is blocked or the valve is defective, the segmented alternative pathway remains available to safely deflate the balloon, preventing the need for traumatic manual rupture and avoiding retained fragments.
Solution Approach 2:
The release valve system provides beforehand cushioning by preparing an alternative deflation pathway in advance of potential failures. This protective measure ensures that even if the primary deflation mechanism fails, the balloon can still deflate safely through the release valve, cushioning against the harmful effects of blocked lumens or defective valves and preventing traumatic removal.
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 safe and trauma-free removal of the balloon catheter from the body, reducing the risk of urethral injury and complications associated with non-deflating balloons and tissue trauma.
Implementation Method 1
A tension activated release valve can be disposed between the balloon and the fluid drainage lumen, for releasing fluid from the balloon into the fluid drainage lumen when tension is applied to the catheter shaft.
Data Source
AI summary
A balloon catheter having an elongated catheter shaft defining a fluid drainage lumen and a balloon inflation lumen. The balloon catheter includes a fluid drainage port disposed about the distal end of the catheter shaft in fluid communication with the fluid drainage lumen, and a balloon inflation port disposed about the distal end of the catheter shaft in fluid communication with the balloon inflation lumen. A balloon portion is disposed about the distal end of the catheter shaft in fluid communication with the balloon inflation port. A release device is disposed in fluid communication with the balloon portion and the fluid drainage lumen, and includes an activating member. A tether is attached to the activating member of the release device. Tension applied to the tether activates the release device, enabling fluid flow from the balloon portion into the fluid drainage lumen and out of the body.