Closed Catheter Tip Conductive Pathway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheters fail to transmit ECG signals from a patient's heart while maintaining a closed distal tip to prevent unintended fluid flow, which is essential for ECG signal monitoring without compromising the catheter's integrity.
Innovation Solution
A closed-ended catheter assembly with an electrically conductive pathway, utilizing a microporous distal plug or conductive element that allows ion passage for electrical signals while preventing blood cells and fluid leakage, using materials like silicone foam or conductive saline to facilitate signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the distal tip of the catheter is closed to prevent fluid leakage, then catheter integrity is improved, but ECG signal transmission is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The distal plug is constructed from microporous material that allows electrical signals to pass through while maintaining a closed structure to prevent fluid leakage. The porous structure enables ion transport for ECG signal conduction without creating openings for fluid escape.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter incorporates conductive materials within the closed distal tip structure, creating a composite construction that simultaneously provides electrical conductivity for ECG signals and fluid impermeability for maintaining catheter integrity.
2Loss of information
If the distal tip remains open to allow ECG signal transmission, then signal monitoring is improved, but fluid leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The microporous distal plug provides a closed yet electrically conductive structure, allowing ECG signals to be transmitted while preventing fluid from passing through the catheter wall.
3Reliability
If a microporous plug is used to maintain closed tip, then fluid leakage is prevented, but electrical conductivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The microporous structure of the distal plug allows ions to pass through the pores, enabling electrical signal conduction while the overall porous matrix maintains the closed structure to prevent bulk fluid leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The pore size and distribution in the microporous material are optimized to allow passage of ions carrying electrical signals while being sufficiently small to prevent passage of blood cells and bulk fluid.
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
Enables reliable transmission of ECG signals to monitoring devices while maintaining the catheter's closed distal tip, preventing fluid leakage and ensuring the catheter's functionality during use.
Implementation Method 1
A closed-ended catheter assembly with an electrically conductive pathway, utilizing a microporous distal plug or conductive element that allows ion passage for electrical signals
Implementation Method 2
enables electrical signals, such as ECG signals produced by signal generating nodes of the patient's heart, to pass through the closed-ended tip of the indwelling catheter
Data Source
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AI summary
A closed-ended catheter assembly that includes an electrically conductive pathway is disclosed. The conductive pathway enables electrical signals, such as ECG signals produced by a patient's heart, to pass through the closed-ended tip of the indwelling catheter while still preventing unintended fluid flow. In one embodiment, therefore, a catheter assembly is disclosed and comprises an elongate catheter tube including a closed distal end. The catheter tube defines at least one lumen and includes a valve defined in the catheter tube that is configured to selectively enable fluids to pass therethrough. The catheter tube includes a conductive element that provides an electrically conductive pathway between the at least one lumen and an exterior portion of the catheter. The conductive element includes a porous material extending between the at least one lumen and the exterior portion of the catheter, the porous material being transmissive to electrical signals and non-permeable to blood.