Containing Catheter With Stiff Distal Tip For Sequential Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical procedures involving catheterization require sequential insertion and removal of multiple catheters, leading to trauma, infection risk, increased complexity, and prolonged operation duration, which complicates procedures and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

A containing catheter with a median tubular member and a distal stiff member that allows for sequential insertion and removal of other catheters or components, reducing direct contact and friction with the body conduit, and facilitating easier insertion by stiffening the tubular member for navigation through the body conduit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple catheters are sequentially inserted and removed from a body conduit, then each catheter can serve its specific function, but trauma to the body conduit and infection risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional versatilityVSAvoidtrauma and infection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements nesting by placing multiple functional catheters (treatment catheter, warming catheter, drainage catheter) sequentially within a single guiding catheter. Each functional catheter can be inserted through the guiding catheter's lumen and removed independently, allowing multiple functions to be performed while only one catheter remains in the body conduit at any time, thereby reducing trauma and infection risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding catheter serves as an intermediary device that facilitates the insertion and removal of other catheters. By using the guiding catheter as a mediator, the direct contact between multiple catheters and the body conduit is reduced, as catheters are passed through the guiding catheter's protective barrier rather than being directly inserted into the body conduit multiple times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple catheters are sequentially inserted and removed from a body conduit, then each catheter can serve its specific function, but operation complexity and duration increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional versatilityVSAvoidprocedural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding catheter is inserted first and remains in place throughout the procedure, establishing a ready pathway before other catheters are needed. This preliminary action eliminates the need to repeatedly insert and remove catheters, as all subsequent catheters can be passed through the pre-established guiding catheter, thereby reducing procedural complexity and duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a tubular member is made soft for comfort, then patient comfort improves, but insertion difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient comfortVSAvoidinsertion ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guiding catheter employs a dynamic structure with a flexible median portion for patient comfort and a stiff distal portion for easy insertion. The catheter can transition between flexible and stiff states as needed during the procedure, allowing it to be comfortably received by the patient while maintaining insertion capability through its distal stiff portion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The guiding catheter has different mechanical properties at different locations: the median portion is flexible to conform to the body conduit and provide patient comfort, while the distal portion is stiff to facilitate insertion and maintain position. This local differentiation of material properties allows the single catheter to satisfy both comfort and insertion ease requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 containing catheter significantly reduces trauma and infection risk, simplifies medical procedures, and decreases operation duration by allowing easier insertion and removal of catheters, thereby enhancing patient comfort and reducing medical infrastructure and financial burdens.

Implementation Method 1

Coating a urethral catheter by a hydrophilic coating may reduce friction and reduce micro-trauma to the body conduit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophilic coating: Hydrophile

Data Source

PatentEP2802373B1Catheterization apparatus

Publication Date: 2020.11.04 UC CARE

Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3C

AI summary

A containing catheter for facilitating sequential treatment operations therethrough, is provided. The containing catheter comprises a median portion comprising an elongated, substantially tubular member, and a distal portion, comprising a distal stiff member. A catheterization apparatus is provided, comprising the containing catheter and an elongated inner catheter insertable into the containing catheter. A method of catheterization is provided, comprising providing the containing catheter, stiffening a portion of the containing catheter and inserting the stiffened containing catheter into a body conduit of a patient.