Collarless Guide Extension Catheter Junction Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing guide extension catheters with collars experience increased bending stiffness and kinking at the junction point, which can lead to instability and require repositioning during minimally-invasive cardiac interventions, such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, due to the heart's movement and other factors.

Innovation Solution

A collarless guide extension catheter design where the proximal shaft is directly attached to the distal sheath using a flattened attachment region and an intermediate reinforcing member, eliminating the need for a bridging structure and minimizing kinking by distributing forces smoothly and preventing abrupt transitions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a collar or bridging structure is used to join the proximal shaft and distal sheath, then the structural strength at the junction is improved, but the bending stiffness increases and kinking occurs at the junction point

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strength at junctionVSAvoidbending stiffness and kinking at junction
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the collar or bridging structure from the junction between the proximal shaft and distal sheath. By extracting this intermediate component, the patent eliminates the source of increased bending stiffness and kinking while maintaining structural integrity through direct attachment of the shaft to the sheath's reinforcing member.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the proximal shaft and distal sheath into a unified structure by directly attaching the shaft's attachment region to the sheath's reinforcing member. This consolidation eliminates the separate bridging structure and creates a smooth, continuous construction that prevents kinking while maintaining strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Strength

If a collar is used to connect the proximal shaft and distal sheath, then the connection strength is improved, but the device requires repositioning during cardiac interventions due to instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidstability during cardiac interventions
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the collar that caused instability during cardiac interventions. By extracting this intermediate component and implementing direct attachment, the patent eliminates the junction point that required repositioning, thereby improving reliability during minimally-invasive cardiac procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If a bridging structure is used to join the proximal shaft and distal sheath, then the structural integrity is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the bridging structure from the device architecture. By extracting this intermediate component and implementing direct attachment between the proximal shaft and distal sheath, the patent reduces device complexity while maintaining structural integrity through the simplified construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges multiple components into a simpler unified structure. By combining the proximal shaft and distal sheath through direct attachment without an intermediate bridging structure, the patent reduces the total number of components and simplifies the overall device architecture while preserving structural strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3042685B1Collarless guide extension catheter
Publication Date: 2020.01.29 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC
  • EP3042685B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3042685B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP3042685B1 patent drawingFigure 2D

AI summary

The present invention relates to a guide extension catheter (14), comprising a proximal shaft (102) having a proximal end (104), a distal end (106, the distal end having an attachment region (108), and a distal sheath (110) having proximal (114) and distal (112) ends, a portion of distal sheath includes a braided reinforcing member (116) attached to the attachment region.