Compressible Renal Ablation Electrodes for Low-Damage Nerve Targeting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing renal denervation therapies, such as thermal modalities like radiofrequency ablation, often cause collateral damage and tissue necrosis, while pulsed field ablation devices are needed for minimally invasive and effective renal nerve ablation with minimal side effects.
Innovation Solution
Development of catheter devices with distal electrodes sets separated by a significant inter-set spacing, insulated lead wires, and superelastic cage-like electrodes for pulsed field ablation, allowing precise renal nerve ablation with reduced collateral damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal modalities such as radiofrequency ablation are used for renal nerve ablation, then effective nerve destruction is achieved, but collateral damage and tissue necrosis occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal-based mechanical ablation (radiofrequency heating) with an electrical field-based mechanism (pulsed field ablation). The device uses high-voltage electrical pulses to create irreversible electroporation in nerve tissues, substituting thermal energy with electrical energy to achieve nerve destruction without the collateral thermal damage to surrounding tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the ablation process by using short-duration high-voltage electrical pulses instead of continuous thermal energy. The pulsed field ablation uses specific voltage amplitudes (e.g., 700-10,000 Volts) and pulse durations (microseconds to milliseconds) to selectively affect nerve tissues while preserving surrounding structures, representing a parameter change from thermal to electrical domain.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive catheter devices are used for renal denervation, then patient trauma is reduced, but precise electrode positioning and delivery control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter device incorporates a deflectable distal portion that can dynamically change its configuration. The catheter includes a flexible shaft with a deflectable tip that can be steered to navigate renal arteries and position electrodes precisely at the target site. This dynamic flexibility allows the minimally invasive device to adapt to anatomical variations while maintaining precise positioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is divided into distinct functional segments: a proximal rigid portion for stable insertion and control, a flexible intermediate section for navigation, and a distal deflectable portion with electrodes for precise positioning. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall device control.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If pulsed field ablation is used instead of thermal ablation, then post-procedural healing is accelerated and tissue integrity is preserved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs periodic pulsed electrical fields rather than continuous energy delivery. Multiple electrical pulses are delivered in sequences with specific intervals, creating periodic action that enables irreversible electroporation in nerve cells while allowing surrounding tissues to remain unaffected. This periodic pulsing mechanism accelerates selective nerve ablation while preserving tissue integrity.
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 catheter devices enable efficient and minimally invasive renal denervation with rapid post-procedural healing and minimal tissue damage, utilizing pulsed field ablation to target renal nerves effectively.
Implementation Method 1
Pulsed field ablation, also known as irreversible electroporation, has emerged as a potentially useful ablation modality
Implementation Method 2
Pulsed field ablation, also known as irreversible electroporation
Implementation Method 3
at least one of the electrodes can have a cage-like structure comprising struts or substantially similar structure
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods described herein relate to catheter devices for therapy delivery in renal denervation applications. In some embodiments, a catheter includes a shaft having first and second sets of electrodes. In some embodiments, each electrode set can include electrodes that are spaced from one another by inter-electrode spacings and being spaced from one another by an inter-set spacing. In some embodiments, the inter-set spacing can be at least 50% greater than each inter-electrode spacing. In some embodiments, the first or second set of electrodes can include at least one basket electrode.