Catheter Adapter Side-Port Guide for Smoother Instrument Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheter assemblies face difficulties in smoothly transitioning instruments, such as additional catheters or guidewires, due to the 45° angle of the side port fluid path, which increases the force required and can lead to movement or disruption of the catheter assembly.
Innovation Solution
The catheter assembly incorporates a wedge and/or insert within the lumen, angled at less than 45°, to facilitate instrument delivery by guiding the instrument directly into the stem of the wedge, reducing resistance and minimizing contact with the mouth, thereby allowing for a smoother transition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a 45° angle side port fluid path is used in the catheter assembly, then fluid can flow from the side port to the body fluid path, but the force required to advance instruments through the catheter assembly increases and can cause movement or disruption of the catheter assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the angle parameter of the side port fluid path from the conventional 45° to an angle of about 25°. This parameter change reduces the resistance and friction that instruments encounter when advancing through the catheter assembly, thereby decreasing the force required to deliver instruments while maintaining proper fluid flow capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a guide feature as an intermediary element within the side port fluid path. This guide feature actively directs and guides the instrument through the angled fluid path, mediating between the side port entry and the body fluid path. The guide feature reduces the force required by providing a controlled path that minimizes resistance and prevents instrument deviation that would otherwise increase advancing force.
2Reliability
If a 45° angle side port fluid path is used, then fluid flow is maintained, but instrument transition causes bending and disruption of the catheter assembly
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the angle parameter from 45° to about 25°, the patent creates a more gradual transition path for instruments. This reduces the sharpness of the angle that instruments must navigate, thereby minimizing bending stresses on the catheter assembly and preventing disruption while maintaining fluid flow reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide feature acts as an intermediary that actively manages instrument transition through the side port fluid path. It provides a controlled guiding path that prevents unguided bending and disruption of the catheter assembly, ensuring smooth instrument transition while maintaining the structural integrity and reliability of the assembly.
3Ease of operation
If the side port angle is reduced to less than 45°, then instrument delivery becomes smoother with reduced force, but fluid path geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the fluid path geometry by using a single, consistent angle of about 25° for the side port fluid path. This uniform angular parameter creates a predictable and manufacturable geometry that achieves smooth instrument delivery without requiring complex multi-segmented paths or variable angles, thereby reducing device complexity while improving ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter adapter may include a distal end, a proximal end, a lumen extending between the distal end and the proximal end, and a side port. A central axis of a fluid path extending through the side port may be disposed at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the catheter adapter. The angle may be less than 45°. Additionally or alternatively to the angle being less than 45°, the catheter adapter may include a wedge and/or an insert configured to facilitate instrument delivery to the catheter assembly via the side port.