Gradient-Durometer Catheter Tubing for Stable Torque Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional catheter designs face challenges in navigating tortuous anatomy due to abrupt transitions between sections with different durometers, leading to torque instability, poor navigation, and mechanical discontinuities, as they compromise on performance characteristics by balancing polymer properties.
Innovation Solution
The catheters are constructed with customizable polymeric tubing that allows for gradual or customized transition sections, incorporating multiple material sections with varying structural properties, such as durometer, torque control, flexibility, and stiffness, to optimize performance across different anatomical regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional catheters use abrupt transitions between polymer sections of different durometers, then manufacturing is simplified, but torque control and navigability deteriorate due to mechanical discontinuities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from abrupt durometer changes to gradual durometer transitions. The catheter shaft incorporates multiple polymer sections with progressively changing durometer values, creating a gradient transition rather than sudden jumps. This gradual parameter change maintains torque control and navigability while remaining manufacturable through sequential polymer application processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating region-specific polymer sections with tailored durometer properties. Each section of the catheter shaft has locally optimized mechanical characteristics, with softer polymers at the distal end for navigation and progressively stiffer polymers toward the proximal end for support, eliminating the need for abrupt transitions.
2Ease of operation
If conventional catheters balance polymer properties to navigate tortuous anatomy, then flexibility is improved, but mechanical stability and torque control worsen due to compromising performance characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the catheter shaft into multiple discrete polymer sections, each with optimized durometer properties. This segmentation allows the distal sections to remain soft and flexible for navigating tortuous anatomy while proximal sections maintain stiffness for mechanical stability and torque control, eliminating the need to compromise overall performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies composite materials by combining multiple polymer sections with different durometer values in a single catheter shaft. This composite construction enables the device to simultaneously exhibit flexible characteristics in distal regions and stable, torque-resistant characteristics in proximal regions without compromising either property.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional catheters use multiple polymer sections with different durometers, then adaptability to varying anatomical regions is improved, but device complexity increases due to abrupt transitions and encapsulation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by implementing gradual durometer transitions instead of abrupt changes between polymer sections. This approach maintains adaptability to varying anatomical regions while simplifying the device structure by eliminating the need for complex encapsulation and precise transition zone management required in conventional designs.
Data Source
AI summary
Polymeric tubing, for use with catheters or other medical devices, where the polymeric tubing can have regions of customized properties including, but not limited to, durometer, torque control, flexibility, axial strength, stiffness, etc. One variation of the device allows for transitions between regions to be configured such that there can be gradual or customized transitions between various regions such that the structural characteristics differential between the regions are selectively designed. Additional variations include outer layers having a plurality of material sections extending in a spiral direction along the axial length to form a continuous wall of the outer layer. In certain variations, the structural characteristic differential is minimized or eliminated as compared to conventional catheters.