Color Coded Medical Guide Wire Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional guide wires for vascular procedures have indistinguishable appearances, making it difficult for physicians to differentiate between them, especially when multiple wires are used in procedures like bifurcation stent delivery, leading to potential errors in placement and brand recognition challenges.
Innovation Solution
The guide wires are color-coded using electrochemical processes, PTFE coatings, laser treatments, and colored bands or tubular sleeves to create distinct visual markers, allowing for easy identification and differentiation between different guide wires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional guide wires are used with standard polymer bodies and metal cores, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but the guide wires have indistinguishable appearances making differentiation difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color coding to guide wires through multiple methods: electrochemical processes that alter the metal core color, colored PTFE coatings applied to the polymer body, and colored bands or tubular sleeves positioned at specific locations. These color variations provide immediate visual differentiation between guide wires of different types, sizes, or manufacturers while maintaining the simplicity of conventional manufacturing processes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple guide wires are used in bifurcation stent delivery procedures, then procedural capability is enhanced, but the risk of placement errors increases due to inability to distinguish between wires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements color coding at specific locations on the guide wire structure, such as colored bands positioned near the distal tip or colored tubular sleeves at the proximal end. This localized color identification allows physicians to quickly distinguish between multiple guide wires during complex bifurcation procedures without requiring the entire wire to be differently colored, thus maintaining wire flexibility and performance while improving identification reliability.
3Loss of information
If color coding is applied through electrochemical processes and coatings, then visual distinction is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates color coding into the guide wire manufacturing process at early stages, such as applying colored PTFE coatings during the extrusion process or performing electrochemical coloring of metal cores before assembly. By integrating color application into existing manufacturing steps rather than adding separate post-processing operations, the patent achieves visual differentiation while minimizing increases in manufacturing complexity and cost.
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 color-coding system effectively distinguishes between guide wires, reducing the risk of placement errors and enhancing brand recognition by providing a clear visual distinction, thus improving procedural accuracy and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The metal core of the guide wire can be color coded by an electrochemical process which colors the metal core
Implementation Method 2
PTFE coatings, and colored bands or tubular sleeves positioned at different locations on the guide wire
Implementation Method 3
laser treatments, and colored bands or tubular sleeves positioned at different locations on the guide wire
Data Source
AI summary
A color coding is applied to medical guide wires by coloring portions of the guide wire to distinguish similar guide wires and guide wire portions from a particular manufacturer. The metallic elongate core can be colored using various methods such as electrochemical processes, sputtering, electroplating, and laser inducing microstructures to alter the surface characteristics of the elongate metallic core. Alternatively, the outer layer of the guide wire can be color coded by using non-standard colors or by introducing a colored band on the guide wire.