Crescent Channel Guide Catheter Flow Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices, such as guide catheters, face challenges in allowing sufficient flow of contrast medium while maintaining their inner and outer diameters, often requiring users to withdraw the device or use larger catheters, which may not be suitable for all procedures.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates small crescent-shaped channels within the polymer layers of the catheter, allowing for contrast medium flow without altering the inner or outer diameter, and using a crescent-shaped mandrel to create these channels during manufacturing, ensuring the flow of contrast media from the proximal to the distal end.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the catheter diameter is increased to allow sufficient contrast medium flow, then the flow capacity is improved, but the device complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter wall is segmented into multiple layers (inner liner, braid, first polymer layer, second polymer layer) with channels integrated within these layers. This segmentation allows the contrast medium flow path to be distributed through multiple channels within the wall structure rather than requiring a single large lumen, thus maintaining small catheter outer diameter while providing sufficient total flow capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The channels are nested within the catheter wall layers, with the first and second polymer layers forming channels between them. The channels are positioned within the wall structure itself, utilizing the wall space for dual purposes: structural integrity and fluid transport. This nesting allows flow capacity to be embedded within the existing catheter structure without increasing outer diameter.
2Quantity of substance
If the inner diameter is increased to improve contrast medium delivery, then the flow capacity is improved, but the outer diameter must also increase, reducing adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the fluid transport function from the central lumen dimension to the radial dimension by creating channels within the catheter wall layers. Multiple channels are arranged radially within the wall thickness, providing additional flow paths without increasing the axial or radial outer dimensions of the catheter.
3Quantity of substance
If channels are added to the catheter wall to enable contrast flow, then the contrast delivery capability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The channel formation process is merged with the catheter extrusion process. The channels are created by positioning mandrels within the polymer layers during extrusion, and the polymer is extruded around these mandrels to form the channels as integral parts of the wall structure. This combining of operations eliminates separate channel formation steps.
Solution Approach 2:
Mandrels are positioned within the polymer layers before the polymer is extruded and solidified. This preliminary placement of channel-forming elements allows the channels to be created during the normal extrusion process rather than requiring post-manufacturing operations such as drilling or laser cutting.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple layers are used to create channels, then the contrast medium flow paths are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer polymer structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: the first and second polymer layers provide structural integrity and flexibility of the catheter wall, while also creating embedded channels for contrast medium flow. The braid layer provides radial strength and flexibility, and the polymer layers bonded to it create both the wall structure and the fluid transport pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
An intravascular catheter is disclosed that includes an elongated shaft defined by a wall including at least one port extending through the wall into a lumen. At least one channel may be defined between layers of polymer making up the catheter shaft. The channel extends along at least a portion of the shaft and is in fluid communication with the port. Outer and inner diameters of the catheter may be substantially constant along the length of the catheter.