Bladder Vapor Ablation with Anchor Tip for Controlled OAB Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for overactive bladder (OAB), such as lifestyle changes, medications, and surgical procedures, are either ineffective or have unknown long-term efficacy, and there is a need for a more targeted approach to address the increased connectivity and excitability of detrusor smooth muscle and nerves contributing to OAB symptoms.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive vapor delivery system is used to deliver vapor to the bladder, specifically targeting excitable tissues and nerves without penetrating the bladder wall, using a distal anchor tip to deform and ablate these tissues with controlled thermal energy delivery, typically between 1 and 500 calories, to reduce OAB symptoms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vapor delivery system is used to ablate bladder tissue, then effectiveness of OAB treatment is improved, but risk of puncturing bladder wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor tip is designed to partially penetrate the bladder wall to provide anchoring force, but the penetration depth is controlled to be insufficient to cause full puncture or leakage. This partial action achieves the anchoring function while avoiding the harmful effect of complete puncture.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter structure is differentiated into distinct functional zones: the anchor tip portion is designed with penetrating capability for secure anchoring, while the vapor delivery ports are positioned and configured to deliver vapor laterally into the bladder tissue without requiring full wall penetration. This local differentiation allows each component to optimize its function while avoiding harmful effects.
2Measurement precision
If anchor tip is advanced into bladder tissue to deform tissue, then vapor delivery precision is improved, but tissue damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor tip is advanced into the bladder wall beforehand to deform and anchor the tissue before vapor delivery begins. This preliminary anchoring action creates a stable platform that ensures subsequent vapor delivery is precisely directed at the intended target tissue, preventing unintended damage from tissue movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor tip acts as an intermediary element between the vapor delivery system and the target tissue. By deforming and anchoring the tissue first, it creates a stable interface that directs vapor energy precisely where intended, mediating between the delivery mechanism and the sensitive bladder tissue to prevent excessive damage.
3Reliability
If vapor delivery is used to damage excitable tissue, then OAB symptom reduction is improved, but control over treatment depth becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Vapor is delivered in controlled periodic cycles rather than continuously. The system delivers vapor for a specific duration, then pauses, allowing clinicians to monitor tissue response and control the depth of thermal penetration. This periodic delivery pattern prevents excessive heat accumulation and enables precise control over treatment depth while maintaining effectiveness.
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 method provides precise ablation of bladder tissues responsible for urge incontinence, minimizing OAB symptoms by damaging nerves and smooth muscle urothelium, offering a potentially more effective and controlled treatment than existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
a heating component, which may comprise a length of coiled tubing contained within a heating element, wherein activation of said heating element causes said coiled tubing to increase from a first temperature to a second temperature and wherein the increase causes a conversion of liquid within the coiled tubing to vapor
Implementation Method 2
the vapor phase media is propagated from a probe outlet to provide a controlled vapor-to-liquid phase change in an interface with tissue to thereby apply ablative thermal energy delivery
Implementation Method 3
activation of said heating element causes said coiled tubing to increase from a first temperature to a second temperature and wherein the increase causes a conversion of liquid within the coiled tubing to vapor
Data Source
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AI summary
A vapor delivery system and method is provided that is adapted for ablating bladder tissue to treat overactive bladder (OAB). The vapor delivery system includes an anchor tip configured anchor the system in the bladder while condensable vapor is delivered to target tissue. In one method, the vapor delivery system is advanced transurethrally into the patient to access the target tissue of the bladder, which can include a surface sensor of the bladder responsible for creating an urge incontinence sensation. The vapor delivery system includes a vapor source that provides a high quality vapor for delivery to tissue.