Catheter shaft with pre-formed distal region and hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Atherectomy catheters face challenges in effectively positioning their cutting elements adjacent to the material to be cut within blood vessels, requiring manual manipulation and rotation, which can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A manipulator device is designed to rotate, translate, or both rotate and translate the catheter, with a pre-formed distal region that urges the cutting element into forcible contact with the vessel wall, and a catheter design featuring bends and a hinge element to maximize excursion and apposition force, allowing one-handed operation and improved positioning of the cutting element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual manipulation and rotation of the catheter shaft is used to position the cutting element, then the cutter can be positioned adjacent to the material to be cut, but the operation becomes cumbersome and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter shaft incorporates a pre-formed distal region with specific curvature that dynamically positions the cutting element against the vessel wall. This pre-formed geometry automatically guides the cutter into the correct position without requiring complex manual manipulation, thereby improving both ease of operation and procedural efficiency simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the catheter shaft by introducing a pre-formed distal region with specific curvature radius and angle measurements. This parameter change transforms the shaft from a straight configuration to one that naturally urges the cutter against the vessel wall, eliminating the need for cumbersome rotation and manipulation while maintaining positioning accuracy
2Reliability
If the cutting element is positioned against the vessel wall, then effective cutting can be performed, but forces tend to deflect the cutting element away from the tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-formed distal region of the catheter shaft acts as a counterbalancing structure that provides continuous urging force against the vessel wall. This pre-formed geometry creates a mechanical counterforce that opposes the deflection forces encountered during cutting, maintaining reliable cutter contact with the tissue throughout the cutting operation
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter shaft is pre-configured with a distal region that already contains the necessary curvature and geometry to urge the cutter against the vessel wall before cutting begins. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that the cutting element is pre-positioned and pre-loaded against the tissue, counteracting deflection forces before they can compromise cutting reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter for performing a procedure at a treatment site in the lumen of a blood vessel. The catheter includes an elongate tubular shaft having a proximal bend, a distal bend and a hinge element. A distal portion of the shaft includes a window extending through the sidewall of the shaft between the hinge element and the distal end of the elongate tubular shaft. A working element is disposed within the lumen of the elongate tubular shaft and is configured for performing the procedure through the window at the treatment site. The bends and hinge element are configured to urge the window against a wall of the vessel at the treatment site.