Balloon Catheter Textured Surface for Burst Strength and Drug Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical balloon catheters face challenges in navigating tortuous and narrow bodily vessels while maintaining strength and flexibility, and existing technologies lack efficient methods for delivering therapeutic agents in a predetermined sequence.

Innovation Solution

The development of medical devices with textured surfaces formed by laser or plasma treatment, featuring ripple-like fibers that enhance strength and flexibility, and allow for the deposition of therapeutic agents on specific portions of the device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the balloon catheter uses a smooth surface, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the burst strength and flexibility are insufficient for navigating tortuous vessels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveburst strengthVSAvoidsurface formation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies laser treatment to change the physical parameters of the polymer surface, creating a textured structure with controlled morphology. By adjusting laser parameters (energy density, pulse duration, scanning speed), the surface is transformed into a hierarchical structure that enhances mechanical strength while maintaining flexibility, resolving the contradiction between strength improvement and manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical surface treatment methods (such as mechanical embossing or chemical etching) with laser treatment. This substitution allows for precise control of surface morphology without complex tooling or multiple processing steps, achieving enhanced burst strength and flexibility through a more straightforward manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the balloon catheter delivers multiple therapeutic agents simultaneously, then the treatment process is simplified, but the ability to provide sequential therapy is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesequential drug delivery capabilityVSAvoiddrug deposition structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates different regions on the balloon surface with distinct properties through selective laser treatment. Some areas have higher surface energy for hydrophilic drug deposition, while other areas have lower surface energy for hydrophobic drug deposition. This local differentiation allows sequential delivery of multiple therapeutic agents with different solubility characteristics, enhancing adaptability without requiring complex multi-component structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the balloon surface into multiple functional zones that can independently deliver different therapeutic agents. By dividing the surface into regions with different wettability characteristics, the device enables sequential drug release from different areas, providing versatile therapy options while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If the balloon catheter uses a highly flexible structure, then it can navigate tortuous vessels, but the burst strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetrackability in tortuous vesselsVSAvoidburst strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite structure by forming a textured surface layer on the balloon polymer. This hierarchical structure combines the base polymer's flexibility with the textured surface's enhanced mechanical strength. The laser-treated surface creates a composite morphology where the raised features and valleys provide structural reinforcement while the underlying polymer maintains its flexibility, enabling the balloon to navigate tortuous vessels without sacrificing burst strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 textured surfaces improve the balloon catheter's ability to track tortuous vessels and enhance its burst strength, while enabling the sequential delivery of therapeutic agents, such as antithrombogenic and endothelium stimulant agents, to improve treatment efficacy.

Implementation Method 1

The textured surface(s) can be formed by laser treatment at high fluence

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser ablation: Laser Ablation

Implementation Method 2

The textured surface(s) can be formed by laser treatment at high fluence and/or by plasma treatment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlasma treatment: Plasma

Implementation Method 3

addressing a member having a polymer with energy above an ablation threshold of the polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAblation: Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS8202245B2Medical devices and methods of making the same

Publication Date: 2012.06.19 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

Medical devices and methods of making the devices are described. In some embodiments, a method of making a medical device includes addressing a member including a polymer with energy above an ablation threshold of the polymer, and using the member to make the medical device.