Catheter Insertion Tool With Valve Stop and Guide Tube Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insertion tools for medical probes with irrigation hubs face issues of hemostatic valve damage due to interaction with basket catheters and fail to effectively seal the guide tube during insertion and retraction, leading to fluid ingress or egress.
Innovation Solution
An insertion tool design featuring a hemostatic valve and a guide tube with a biased valve mechanism, including seals biased toward each other to seal the guide tube and prevent fluid flow, along with a valve stop to prevent interaction between the basket catheter and the hemostatic valve, allowing for irrigation and secure catheter insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hemostatic valve is used to prevent fluid flow during catheter insertion, then fluid containment is improved, but the valve may be damaged by interaction with the basket catheter
Solution Approach 1:
A valve stop is introduced as an intermediary component between the basket catheter and the hemostatic valve. The valve stop prevents direct interaction between the basket catheter spines and the hemostatic valve, thereby protecting the valve from damage while maintaining fluid containment functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion tool is divided into distinct functional segments: a first body containing the hemostatic valve for fluid containment, and a second body with the guide tube and valve mechanism. This segmentation allows the hemostatic valve to be protected from direct contact with the basket catheter while maintaining its sealing function
2Reliability
If a valve is added to the guide tube to seal during retraction, then fluid containment is improved, but the end effector may be obstructed during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The valve in the guide tube is designed to be dynamic rather than static. It includes a valve body that can move between a closed position (during insertion) and an open position (during retraction), allowing smooth insertion while providing sealing capability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is pre-positioned in a closed or open configuration appropriate for the insertion phase, allowing the end effector to pass through unobstructed. The valve transitions to its sealing position only when the catheter is retracted, preventing fluid egress at the appropriate time
3Ease of operation
If the basket catheter is collapsed for insertion into the sheath, then the insertion process is improved, but the spines may interact with the hemostatic valve causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The valve stop serves as a protective intermediary that allows the collapsed basket catheter to be inserted through the guide tube without the spines contacting or damaging the hemostatic valve, while still enabling the necessary collapse for sheath insertion
Solution Approach 2:
The vulnerable hemostatic valve is extracted from direct exposure to the basket catheter spines by placing it in a protected location within the first body, separated from the insertion path of the collapsed catheter
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 solution effectively prevents hemostatic valve damage and ensures fluid containment during catheter insertion and retraction, maintaining sealing integrity and facilitating efficient irrigation to the target anatomical region.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the two seals can be biased by a compression spring
Implementation Method 2
a first body comprising a hemostatic valve configured to receive a flexible shaft and prevent fluid from flowing past the hemostatic valve
Implementation Method 3
a valve disposed at least partially in the guide tube with the valve being biased to a closed position and, upon insertion of a flexible shaft through the valve, configured to prevent fluid from flowing past the valve
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed technology includes an insertion tool including a first body comprising a hemostatic valve configured to receive a flexible shaft and prevent fluid from flowing past the hemostatic valve. The insertion tool can include a second body coupled to the first body, with the second body including: a chamber, a guide tube smaller than the chamber, and a valve. The guide tube can be connected distal to the chamber and along a longitudinal axis of the second body to guide a flexible shaft into a sheath and the valve can be disposed at least partially in the guide tube. The valve can be biased to a closed position and upon insertion of a flexible shaft through the valve to prevent fluid from flowing past the valve.