High Strength Catheter Electrode Assembly with Curved Struts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-electrode catheter systems face challenges in minimizing component size to navigate tortuous vasculature while maintaining radial strength and optimal electrode apposition for medical procedures, particularly in ablative procedures where a low profile and high strength are required to facilitate easy insertion and effective performance.
Innovation Solution
The electrode assembly features struts with a high major width:thickness ratio, a curved cross-section, and low-profile electrodes with a concave underside and rounded corners, designed for easy insertion through reduced diameter guide catheters, and a polymer layer to enhance rigidity and reduce friction, allowing for superior strength and reduced drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the electrode assembly uses conventional struts with lower width:thickness ratio, then the assembly has easier manufacture and lower profile, but the radial strength is insufficient for optimal electrode apposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the width:thickness ratio of the struts to a specific range (2.571 to 7.750) and controlling the minor width dimensions, which transforms the strut geometry to achieve both high radial strength and manufacturability. This quantitative parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between strength and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved cross-section geometry of the struts rather than straight or angular designs. This curvature provides structural efficiency that enhances radial strength while maintaining smooth contours that facilitate manufacture and assembly, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength requirements and geometric complexity.
2Strength
If the electrode assembly is designed with larger dimensions for better electrode apposition, then the performance is improved, but the profile size increases causing difficulty in insertion through reduced diameter guide catheters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the electrode assembly into multiple thin struts with optimized individual dimensions rather than using a single large structure. Each strut has a controlled minor width that maintains low profile for catheter insertion, while the collective arrangement of multiple struts provides the necessary radial strength for electrode apposition, resolving the size contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by coating the strut surfaces with polymer layers that provide both structural reinforcement and low-friction properties. This composite approach allows the struts to achieve high radial strength without increasing the core metal dimensions, maintaining low profile for easy insertion while providing the strength needed for optimal electrode apposition.
3Strength
If the electrode assembly uses higher strength materials and thicker struts, then the radial strength is improved, but the friction and drag during insertion through guide catheters increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies thin polymer coating films on the strut surfaces that provide a low-friction interface during insertion through guide catheters. These thin film coatings reduce drag and friction forces without requiring thicker struts, thereby maintaining low profile while achieving the necessary radial strength through the base strut geometry and material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining metal strut cores with polymer coatings. The metal core provides the necessary radial strength, while the polymer coating layer provides low-friction surface properties that reduce drag during insertion. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between strength and friction by assigning different functions to different material layers.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to electrode assemblies, and specifically to struts comprising electrode assemblies and electrodes contained on the struts. The electrode assembly struts are constructed to have a low profile and to have superior strength over the length of the strut such that an electrode assembly including the strut is highly resistant to radial compression. The electrodes included on the low profile, high strength strut also is designed to have a reduced profile such that electrode assemblies including the strut and electrode can easily be used with 6 French and smaller guide catheter assemblies.