Two-Piece Catheter Connector for Reprocessable Split Handles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophysiology catheters are primarily sold as single-use devices due to concerns about proper cleaning and potential damage to electronic circuitry during reprocessing, limiting their reuse.
Innovation Solution
A catheter with a split-handle design featuring a two-piece connector that separates electronic circuitry from the operator-controlled handle, allowing for easier reprocessing and reuse, with a keyed design and latching mechanisms for secure connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If catheters are designed as single-use devices with integrated electronic circuitry in the handle, then reliability and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity increases and reuse is limited due to cleaning and damage concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system is divided into separate components: a reusable catheter body and a handle assembly containing electronic circuitry. The connector couples these components together, allowing the handle to be separated for cleaning and sterilization while protecting sensitive electronics from exposure to harsh reprocessing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Electronic circuitry is extracted from the handle and relocated to the connector assembly. This extraction allows the electronics to be protected from damage during catheter reprocessing while maintaining full functionality when the catheter is connected to the handle for operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If catheters are designed as single-use devices, then ease of manufacture and reliability are improved, but loss of substance increases due to waste
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system enables selective discarding and recovering of components. The catheter body can be discarded after single use while the expensive handle assembly with electronics is recovered, cleaned, sterilized, and reused multiple times, significantly reducing waste and cost.
3Ease of operation
If electronic circuitry is integrated in the handle, then ease of operation is improved, but ease of repair and reprocessing deteriorate due to damage concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into a handle assembly and a catheter body that can be separated. This segmentation allows the handle containing electronics to be protected from reprocessing conditions, making both repair and reprocessing easier while maintaining operational ease when connected.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A catheter and method for the treatment of a patient having atrial flutter or other arrhythmia comprises an elongated catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. Further it has a distal tip section comprising a flexible tubing having a proximal end and a distal end and a plurality of lumens extending therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The tip section further comprises a nitinol tube having slots formed therein which causes the distal tip section to deflect using the same puller-wire action used to cause the deflectable catheter to deflect at a point proximal to the distal tip section.