Catheter Control System Using Sensor Feedback and Fluid Actuators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for maintaining the position and orientation of catheters within the body, such as PVADs, are limited in precision and often require cumbersome manual adjustments and repeated imaging, which can lead to complications like hemolysis due to catheter migration caused by fluid flow and patient movement.
Innovation Solution
A catheter control system comprising a containment structure with sensors and actuators that regulate fluid flow through multiple openings to autonomously navigate, monitor, and orient catheters within the body, using feedback control strategies and machine learning algorithms to adjust position and orientation in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual repositioning and repeated imaging are used to monitor catheter position, then the catheter position can be adjusted, but the process is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor catheter position and provide real-time feedback to a control system. This closed-loop feedback mechanism automatically adjusts the catheter position without requiring manual intervention or repeated imaging, thereby reducing the time and effort needed for position monitoring and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter system performs self-positioning and self-monitoring through integrated sensors and actuators. The system autonomously detects its own position relative to target structures and automatically adjusts its orientation, eliminating the need for external manual repositioning procedures and repeated imaging studies.
2Measurement precision
If current monitoring methods are used, then catheter position can be checked, but precision in identifying catheter position within cardiac structures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces external imaging-based monitoring methods with an integrated sensor-based positioning system. Sensors embedded in or near the catheter directly measure position and orientation relative to cardiac structures, providing precise real-time data without requiring complex external imaging equipment or manual analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary sensor-based measurement layer between the catheter and the external monitoring system. These sensors act as intermediaries that directly detect catheter position and transmit this information, eliminating the need for indirect imaging-based position determination and improving precision while simplifying the overall monitoring approach.
3Ease of operation
If catheter is blindly repositioned at patient's bedside, then position adjustment can be performed, but precision and accuracy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback on catheter position during repositioning operations. Sensors continuously monitor the catheter's location and provide guidance to the operator, enabling precise position adjustment at the bedside without relying on blind manipulation. This feedback loop ensures that position changes are accurate and targeted.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary positioning and orientation assessment using sensors before final catheter placement. By pre-determining the optimal position and orientation through sensor feedback, the system enables precise bedside repositioning without the need for trial-and-error manipulation or repeated imaging.
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 system provides precise and accurate control of catheter position and orientation, reducing the need for repeated imaging and manual adjustments, thereby minimizing complications from catheter migration and enhancing the safety and effectiveness of medical devices like PVADs.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor may be configured to detect a current position and/or attitude of the containment structure
Implementation Method 2
Each of the actuators may be associated with at least one respective opening of the plurality of openings and configured to regulate fluid flow through the at least one respective opening
Implementation Method 3
the catheter may migrate away from the target position and/or target orientation due to inertial reactive forces generated by the fluid flow through the lumen
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter control system may include a containment structure, a sensor coupled to the containment structure, and a plurality of actuators coupled to the containment structure. The containment structure may define a lumen configured to allow a fluid to flow therethrough, and a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the lumen. The sensor may be configured to detect a current position and/or orientation of the containment structure. Each of the actuators may be associated with at least one respective opening of the plurality of openings and configured to regulate fluid flow through the at least one respective opening.