Catheter Assembly with Removable Guide Wire for Versatile Indwelling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional catheter assemblies either lack the simplicity of operation and compactness of those without a guide wire or struggle with ease of use and complexity when a guide wire is included, making them unsuitable for patients with varying levels of catheter indwelling difficulty.
Innovation Solution
A catheter assembly design that includes a hollow inner needle with a removable guide wire and a guide member attachable to the needle hub, allowing the guide wire to be used selectively based on patient needs, with features like a wire operation member for easy insertion and a cover to inhibit contamination and excessive protrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a guide wire is included in the catheter assembly, then the indwelling is easier for difficult cases, but the operation becomes more difficult to learn and the device becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter assembly is divided into separate components: a catheter unit and a guide wire unit that can be attached or detached independently. This allows the system to function as a simple catheter when the guide wire is not needed, and as an enhanced assembly when the guide wire is attached for difficult indwelling cases, thereby resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire unit is designed to be dynamically attachable and detachable from the catheter unit via a guide member. This dynamic configuration allows the operator to adapt the system complexity to the specific patient needs, making the operation easier to learn while maintaining the capability to handle difficult cases when required
2Adaptability or versatility
If a guide wire is included in the catheter assembly, then the indwelling is easier for difficult cases, but the device becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the catheter assembly into separate units, the guide wire unit can be stored compactly and only attached when needed. This reduces the volume of the catheter unit itself while maintaining the option to add the guide wire for difficult cases, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device size
3Ease of operation
If the guide wire is always used, then smooth insertion is achieved for difficult cases, but the operation becomes more complex and less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member provides a dynamic guiding mechanism that is only activated when the guide wire is attached. For simple cases, the catheter can be inserted directly without the guide wire, keeping operations simple. For difficult cases, the guide member guides the guide wire to achieve smooth insertion, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter assembly includes: a catheter; a hollow inner needle that is removably disposed in the catheter and has a lumen through which a guide wire is insertable; a needle hub that is fixed to a proximal end portion of the inner needle; and a guide member that is attachable to a proximal end portion of the needle hub and configured to guide the guide wire towards the inner needle.