Multimodality Catheter Hub for Wireless Imaging and Cable Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Catheters used in medical procedures are often single-use due to the risk of biomaterial transmission, constructed from inexpensive materials, and lack sophisticated electrical components, leading to the need for multiple devices and cables that occupy space and pose hazards in operating rooms.
Innovation Solution
A multiple-modality system with a battery module, wireless module, computing module, and modality circuitry supporting various catheter modalities, including ICE, IVUS, and RF ablation, integrated into a compact housing that minimizes space requirements and enables wireless communication with peripheral equipment, using synchronization systems to reduce interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate processing equipment and cables are used for different catheter modalities, then each modality can be processed with dedicated equipment, but the operating room becomes cluttered with physical hazards and equipment redundancy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate processing equipment into a single integrated system that can handle multiple catheter modalities (ICE, IVUS, RF ablation, FFR) through a single hub device. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple separate equipment units and their associated cables, directly reducing operating room clutter while maintaining comprehensive modality processing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated system is designed with universal interfaces and processing capabilities that can accommodate various catheter modalities through a single device. The system includes multiple ports and communication protocols that enable it to function as a multi-functional hub, replacing several specialized equipment while maintaining dedicated processing for each modality type
2Ease of manufacture
If catheters are constructed from inexpensive materials with simple mechanical elements, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but the devices lack sophisticated electrical components and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary integrated system that provides sophisticated electrical components and control systems externally, while the catheters themselves remain simple mechanical devices. The hub device acts as a mediator that adds advanced electronics, wireless communication, and processing capabilities without requiring these complex components to be embedded within the disposable catheters, thus maintaining ease of catheter manufacture while achieving system-level sophistication
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical control elements within catheters with electronic and wireless control mechanisms in the external hub device. Instead of incorporating sophisticated mechanical controls in the disposable catheters, the system uses electronic signals and wireless communication from the integrated system to control catheter functions, reducing catheter complexity while maintaining control sophistication
3Loss of information
If cables extend from catheters to data processing equipment, then data transmission is established, but physical tripping hazards are created in small operating rooms with many caretakers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical cable connections with wireless communication technology. The integrated system and catheters communicate through wireless signals, eliminating the need for extended cables that create tripping hazards in operating rooms. This substitution maintains full data transmission capability while removing the mechanical connection medium that causes safety issues
Data Source
AI summary
A multiple-modality catheter system disposed in a housing comprises a battery pack, a wireless module to communicate with a control console, a remote control or remote controls and a display or displays, a computing module, a modality circuitry module to control a plurality of catheter modules, and a connector or a plurality of connectors adapted to connect to a plurality of catheters. The multiple-modality catheter system may be highly integrated to fit a reusable universal catheter handle. The multiple-modality system includes a synchronization circuitry to minimize interference between the catheter modalities to get high quality ultrasound images. The ultrasound image quality improvement feature can be further enhanced by system noise detection and correction. And the multiple-modality system disclosed can be used for lesion tracking and ablation by applying deep-learning.