Catheter Biconcave Side Opening Reduces Shear Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical catheters face challenges in achieving efficient fluid flow and minimizing fluid shear stress during hemodialysis procedures, leading to potential complications such as red blood cell breakdown and recirculation of purified blood.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates biconcave side openings that are askew relative to the catheter's longitudinal axis, providing a continuous curve and reducing shear stress, along with an asymmetrical catheter tip to minimize invasiveness and improve navigability, thereby enhancing fluid flow efficiency and reducing recirculation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional side opening shapes are used in catheters, then manufacturing is simpler, but fluid flow efficiency is reduced and shear stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side opening is designed with a biconcave shape featuring curved surfaces instead of flat or angular geometries. The first and second sides each define a continuous curve that curves towards the other side, creating a smooth, rounded configuration that reduces fluid shear stress and improves flow efficiency while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The side opening employs an asymmetrical biconcave design where the first and second sides have different curvature profiles. This asymmetry is optimized to match the directional flow patterns of blood during hemodialysis, allowing efficient fluid exchange while minimizing recirculation and shear stress on red blood cells.
2Productivity
If side openings are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis, then manufacturing is easier, but recirculation of purified blood occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The side opening is positioned at an askew angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the catheter body, creating an asymmetrical orientation that prevents purified blood from recirculating back into the arterial lumen. This angular configuration ensures that blood flow exits the side opening in a direction that minimizes backflow and maximizes dialysis efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If a larger catheter tip volume is used, then structural strength is improved, but navigability through vasculature and atraumatic properties are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is designed with a smaller volume and reduced outer diameter compared to traditional catheters, optimizing the size parameters for better navigability through narrow vasculature and reduced trauma to blood vessels. The tip maintains adequate structural strength through optimized wall thickness and material selection, achieving a balance between flexibility for navigation and strength for durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter comprising an elongated body (12) defining one or more lumens (40,42), and the elongated body comprises a sidewall defining a side opening (14) in fluid communication with a lumen of the one or more lumens. The side opening has a proximal end (14A), a distal end (14B), a first side (34) extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a second side (36) opposing the first side and extending from the proximal end to the distal end. When the elongated body is straight, the first and second sides curve towards each other between the proximal and distal ends, e.g., to define a biconcave shape.