Catheter with Lateral Orifice for Embryo Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current embryo transfer catheters can traumatize the endometrial mucosa, potentially hindering embryo implantation due to their design, which results in lesions and improper embryo deposition.
Innovation Solution
A catheter with a rounded, smooth distal end and a laterally positioned orifice, made from flexible hydrophobic plastic, allowing for manual bending and reduced trauma, facilitates embryo placement away from the catheter path, promoting implantation by minimizing contact with the catheter and optimizing embryo placement in the uterine cavity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional catheter is used for embryo transfer, then the procedure can be performed transcervically, but the catheter can traumatize the endometrial lining and cause lesions
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the catheter body is designed with a rounded shape without sharp edges, replacing the conventional straight or angular tip. This curvature eliminates mechanical trauma to the endometrial lining during insertion and embryo deposition, resolving the contradiction between achieving transcervical access and avoiding endometrial damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter incorporates a laterally positioned orifice at a specific distance from the distal end, creating a localized deposition zone away from the catheter path. This local quality change ensures embryos are deposited away from the trauma zone while maintaining the overall transcervical procedure capability.
2Productivity
If embryos are deposited on the surface of the bloodstream using a conventional catheter, then the transfer can be performed, but endometrial lesions hinder implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The orifice is positioned laterally in the catheter wall rather than at the distal tip, changing the spatial dimension of embryo deposition. This lateral positioning allows embryos to be released away from the catheter's longitudinal path, preventing deposition on traumatized surfaces and improving implantation reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral orifice acts as an intermediary structure that redirects the embryo flow path away from the catheter tip and endometrial surface. This intermediary mechanism ensures embryos are deposited in optimal locations free from catheter-induced lesions, maintaining transfer productivity while enhancing implantation success.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the catheter body is made of flexible plastic material, then manual bending is possible for adaptation, but the material may be hydrophilic causing embryo adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter body material is specifically selected to have hydrophobic properties, changing the surface energy parameter to prevent embryo adhesion. This parameter change maintains the flexible plastic characteristics for manual bending while eliminating the harmful effect of embryo sticking to the catheter surface.
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 catheter design reduces endometrial trauma and enhances embryo implantation success by depositing embryos at an ideal location, away from the catheter's path, thereby improving the chances of successful implantation in medically assisted procreation.
Implementation Method 1
the catheter body is made of a hydrophobic material
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a catheter (34), including a tubular catheter body (38) defining a longitudinal channel (52), the distal end (48) of the catheter body (38) being closed and the channel (52) opening, via a single side opening (50), onto an outer surface (44) of a side wall (42) of the catheter body (38) at a distance from said distal end (48). The channel (52) includes a curved distal end segment (54) and has a substantially constant diameter (Dint) along the entire length thereof.