Catheter Coating Device Radial Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating balloon catheters and stents face challenges in ensuring uniform and continuous delivery of active substances to vessel walls, particularly due to premature detachment and uneven distribution, which complicates the prevention of restenosis and effective treatment of stenotic vessels.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that radially surround the catheter with a measured coating solution, allowing complete axial coverage, with targeted partial and complete drying processes to ensure uniform coating, using a gas flow to prevent solution accumulation and droplet formation, and heating to facilitate even distribution within folds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If balloon catheters are used to treat stenotic vessels, then vessel lumen expansion is achieved, but contact time with vessel wall is very short (few seconds to minutes), making it difficult to ensure sufficient active substance delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The active substance is applied to the balloon catheter surface before the procedure, and the balloon is kept deflated during transport and insertion. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the balloon is deployed at the target site, the active substance is already in position and can be delivered immediately upon contact with the vessel wall, compensating for the brief contact time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and delivery parameters of the active substance by using a liquid or gel formulation that can be applied uniformly to the balloon surface. The substance is delivered in a controlled manner during the brief contact period, optimizing the concentration and distribution to achieve therapeutic effect within seconds to minutes
2Reliability
If active substances are applied to balloon catheter surface, then anti-restenosis effect is achieved, but premature detachment of active substances occurs before reaching target site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of the balloon catheter material combined with a specially formulated active substance layer. This composite design ensures that the active substance remains stably attached to the balloon surface during insertion and transport, yet can be effectively transferred to the vessel wall when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon catheter itself acts as an intermediary carrier that protects the active substance during transport and insertion. The balloon surface serves as a stable platform that prevents premature detachment, while allowing controlled transfer of the active substance at the target site
3Force
If very high pressure is applied to widen calcified vessels, then original lumen is restored, but damage to vessel wall and coating may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The active substance is applied to the balloon surface before the high-pressure dilation procedure. This preliminary application ensures that the substance is already in position and protected during the subsequent high-pressure expansion, reducing the risk of damage or premature release
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon catheter uses a flexible thin-film structure that can withstand very high pressures during dilation of calcified vessels. This flexible shell maintains the integrity of the applied active substance while allowing the necessary mechanical force to be transmitted to the vessel wall for lumen restoration
4Quantity of substance
If microcapsules are used to coat balloon catheter, then active substance is enclosed, but most microcapsules detach during insertion and only capsules in folds reach destination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the active substance from discrete microcapsule structures and applies it directly as a liquid or gel formulation to the balloon surface. This eliminates the microcapsule structure that causes detachment problems, while maintaining the ability to deliver the active substance effectively at the target site
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical form of the active substance delivery system from discrete microcapsules to a continuous liquid or gel layer. This parameter change improves retention on the balloon surface during insertion while ensuring uniform distribution and complete delivery of the active substance to the vessel wall
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
This approach enables precise and uniform application of active substances across the catheter surface, ensuring consistent delivery and preventing restenosis by maintaining bioavailability and avoiding damage to the coating during the coating process.
Implementation Method 1
between the individual coating processes a targeted partial drying of the applied coating solution takes place
Implementation Method 2
a gas flow is generated by a device for generating a gas flow counter to the direction of flow of the coating solution, which prevents accumulation of the coating solution and/or droplet formation
Implementation Method 3
heating to facilitate even distribution within folds
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for coating catheters in a specific manner. The problem addressed by the invention is to develop a method and a device that enable continuous and uniform coating of catheters and balloon catheters. Commercially available catheters without a necessary special pretreatment are used. The method for coating catheters or balloon catheters according to the invention is characterized in that a. the catheter is radially surrounded completely or almost completely at a constant distance by a device that contains a measured amount of a coating solution in such a way that b. the coating solution completely fills the space between the catheter and the device and thus completely surrounds the catheter radially on a partial axial section, c. that the device is moved in the axial direction across the surface of the catheter multiple times, and d. that a specific partial drying of the applied coating solution occurs between the individual coating processes.