Percutaneous Coiled Catheter for Gallbladder Cryoablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for gallstone-related morbidity, such as biliary colic and cholecystitis, often require surgical removal of the gallbladder, which comes with risks, and there is a need for a less invasive method to effectively ablate the gallbladder.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with an inflatable treatment element that transitions between deflated and inflated configurations, equipped with a fluid supply lumen and electrodes, is used to ablate gallbladder tissue by measuring impedance signals to determine tissue contact and delivering refrigerant for cryoablation, facilitating precise and controlled tissue ablation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) is performed, then effective treatment of biliary colic and cholecystitis is achieved, but surgical risks and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical surgical intervention (cholecystectomy) with a less invasive percutaneous ablation system that uses refrigerant circulation and impedance monitoring to destroy gallbladder tissue through controlled cooling rather than physical removal
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and temperature parameters by circulating refrigerant through the treatment element to achieve controlled freezing temperatures that ablate gallbladder tissue while monitoring impedance changes to ensure proper tissue contact and treatment efficacy
2Object-affected harmful factors
If ablation of the gallbladder is performed, then surgical risks are reduced, but precise tissue contact and controlled cooling must be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates impedance monitoring electrodes that provide real-time feedback on tissue contact quality, allowing the system to detect and respond to variations in contact between the treatment element and gallbladder wall during the ablation procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment element serves multiple functions: it delivers refrigerant for cooling, monitors tissue contact through impedance measurements, and provides structural support for the ablation process, consolidating several functions into a single integrated component
3Temperature
If an inflatable treatment element is used for cryoablation, then controlled cooling is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the fluid supply lumen within the inflatable treatment element, allowing the cooling conduit to be contained within the balloon structure itself, thereby integrating multiple components into a compact nested configuration that reduces overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an inflatable balloon structure with integrated fluid channels that can be collapsed into a compact form for insertion and then expanded at the target site, utilizing flexible membrane technology to achieve both controlled cooling and ease of deployment
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 device allows for effective ablation of gallbladder tissue with reduced risk, providing a less invasive alternative to surgery by ensuring precise contact and controlled cooling, thereby treating gallstone-related issues effectively.
Implementation Method 1
delivering refrigerant for cryoablation
Implementation Method 2
circulating refrigerant within the inflatable treatment element
Implementation Method 3
an electrode disposed along an outer surface of the inflatable treatment element... configured to measure and record at least one impedance measurement signal
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system for ablating tissue within a gallbladder having a gallbladder wall includes a medical device. The medical device includes a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion opposite the proximal portion, and an inflatable treatment element coupled to the distal portion of the shaft and transitionable between a first deflated free-form configuration and a second inflated coiled configuration.