Catheter Hub Telescoping Mechanism Kinking Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Catheter hubs face kinking issues during the retraction of outer catheters over inner catheters, which complicates medical procedures due to the lack of sufficient kinking resistance, especially when the inner catheter is subjected to compressive forces.
Innovation Solution
A catheter hub assembly featuring a distal and proximal assembly connected by an elongate member, allowing for longitudinal translation and including features like telescoping members and slidable attachments to provide kinking resistance and facilitate easy handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the inner and outer catheters are made from longitudinally flexible material to allow navigation through vasculature, then the catheter assembly can be easily inserted and navigated, but the inner catheter becomes susceptible to kinking during retraction of the outer catheter
Solution Approach 1:
The hub assembly incorporates a telescoping mechanism that dynamically adjusts the length of the outer catheter relative to the inner catheter during the procedure. The outer catheter can be retracted within the hub assembly, and the telescoping structure maintains proper tension and alignment, preventing kinking while preserving the flexibility needed for navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub assembly acts as an intermediary structure between the inner and outer catheters. It provides a controlled environment for the catheter interaction, with features like guide channels and friction surfaces that manage the retraction process to prevent kinking of the flexible inner catheter.
2Productivity
If the outer catheter is retracted over the inner catheter to deploy the medical device, then the medical device is released at the treatment site, but the inner catheter is subjected to compressive forces that cause kinking
Solution Approach 1:
The hub assembly is designed with pre-configured structural features that counteract the compressive forces before they can cause kinking. The telescoping mechanism and internal guide structures are positioned to maintain catheter alignment and tension throughout the retraction process, preventing the harmful kinking effect from occurring.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub assembly changes the mechanical parameters of the catheter system during operation. By controlling the retraction distance, speed, and force through the telescoping mechanism, the compressive forces on the inner catheter are managed to remain below the threshold that would cause kinking, while still enabling effective device deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter hub includes a distal assembly including a distal hub member adapted to be fixedly attached to an outer catheter and a proximal assembly including a proximal hub member adapted to be fixedly attached to an inner catheter disposed through the outer catheter. An elongate member connects the proximal and distal assemblies such that the proximal and distal assemblies can translate longitudinally relative to one another.