Medical Catheter Cutter Alignment via Contrast Marker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for removing objects like plaques and thrombi from blood vessels face challenges in accurately aligning cutting units with unevenly distributed affected areas due to the use of two-dimensional X-ray images, requiring complex rotation and positioning adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A medical system with a rotatable drive shaft, a cutter, an outer tube with a contrast marker, and rollers to adjust the cutting range and orientation, controlled by a system that uses cross-sectional images and imaging devices to automatically position and orient the cutter for precise alignment and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple X-ray images are acquired while rotating the imaging device to align the cutting unit with unevenly distributed affected areas, then the alignment accuracy is improved, but the operation complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
A contrast marker is introduced as an intermediary element attached to the catheter. This marker provides a simplified visual reference in X-ray images that directly indicates the circumferential position and orientation of the catheter, eliminating the need for complex multi-angle imaging and manual alignment procedures while maintaining alignment accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast marker creates a simplified two-dimensional representation (copy) of the three-dimensional catheter position and orientation. This visual copy allows operators to determine circumferential position and align the cutting unit with affected areas using a single X-ray image instead of multiple rotated images, reducing operational complexity
2Manufacturing precision
If the operator manually adjusts the catheter to achieve target rotation angle based on X-ray images, then the orientation control is improved, but the time consumption and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contrast marker serves as a visual intermediary that directly encodes circumferential position information. By designing the marker shape to vary with catheter rotation angle, the system provides immediate visual feedback on orientation, allowing operators to achieve precise orientation control without time-consuming trial-and-adjustment procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast marker utilizes shape changes (analogous to color changes in visual perception) that vary with circumferential position. Different orientations of the catheter produce distinctly different marker appearances in X-ray images, enabling rapid visual assessment and adjustment of orientation to achieve target angles without prolonged manipulation
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 simplifies the control of the cutter within the blood vessel, improving operability by automatically rotating and adjusting the cutting range to ensure accurate targeting and effective removal of affected areas.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging device configured to capture one or more images of the contrast marker in the body cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system includes a device including a drive shaft, a cutter for cutting an object within a cutting range, a tube surrounding the shaft and including a contrast marker, and rollers for rotating and moving the pipe, a memory storing information including cross-sectional images of the cavity, an imaging device capturing images of the marker, and a controller determining, based on the information, a target position of the cutter and a target orientation of the marker in an image to be captured when the object is within the range, determining a current position of the cutter based on a captured image and moving the pipe such that the cutter reaches the target position, and determining an orientation of the marker in a captured image and rotating the pipe such that the marker in the image has the target orientation.