Deformable-Lumen Catheters for Particle Delivery and Contrast Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microcatheters face issues with particles sticking or clumping in the lumen, blocking the passage of larger particles and inadequate flow rates of contrast agents, which hinder effective delivery and imaging.
Innovation Solution
The catheter design includes deformable lumens that change configuration to create a larger space for agent delivery, featuring an outer shaft with agent delivery ports and an inflatable balloon, along with a guidewire channel and balloon inflation channel, allowing for increased internal space and flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the catheter lumen is made small to enable navigation through narrow vasculature, then the catheter can reach distal targets, but particles in the agent tend to stick or clump together and block the lumen
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates a deformable inner shaft that can dynamically change its configuration between collapsed and open states. When collapsed, the catheter maintains a small profile for navigation; when opened, it provides a large lumen for particle-free agent delivery. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between small size for reachability and large size for preventing particle clumping.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner shaft's deformability allows the catheter to change its physical parameters (cross-sectional area, lumen diameter) based on operational needs. The shaft can be deformed from a collapsed configuration during navigation to an open configuration during agent delivery, effectively changing the lumen size parameter to prevent particle clumping while maintaining the ability to reach distal targets.
2Volume of moving object
If the catheter lumen is made small to reduce catheter size, then the catheter profile is reduced for better navigation, but larger particles cannot pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The deformable inner shaft enables the catheter to dynamically adjust its internal volume and lumen cross-section. During navigation, the shaft remains collapsed maintaining a small profile; during agent delivery, the shaft is opened to expand the lumen volume, allowing passage of larger particles that would otherwise be blocked by a permanently small lumen.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable inner shaft can be collapsed within the outer shaft, creating a nested configuration that minimizes the catheter profile. When opened, the inner shaft expands outward to create a large delivery lumen. This nesting capability allows the catheter to have both a small collapsed profile for navigation and a large expanded lumen for particle passage.
3Device complexity
If the catheter lumen is made small to minimize catheter size, then the catheter is less invasive, but contrast agent flow rate is insufficient for clear imaging
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter uses a deformable inner shaft that can be collapsed during navigation to maintain a small, less invasive profile. When contrast agent delivery is required, the inner shaft is opened to expand the lumen cross-section, enabling sufficient flow rates for clear imaging. This dynamic size adjustment resolves the contradiction between small size and adequate flow rate.
4Reliability
If a deformable inner shaft is added to enable lumen configuration changes, then particle clumping is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner shaft is constructed from flexible materials that allow it to deform between collapsed and open configurations. This flexibility enables the shaft to change its shape and internal volume without requiring complex mechanical actuation systems, thereby preventing particle clumping while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 deformable lumens prevent particle clumping and ensure sufficient flow rates for clear imaging, enabling effective delivery of therapeutic agents and contrast agents.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more deformable lumens may have a collapsed configuration and an open configuration. The change in configuration generally creates a larger space or area within the catheter for an agent to be delivered
Implementation Method 2
The catheter may include an inflatable balloon, optionally carried by a distal region of the catheter
Implementation Method 3
The catheter may optionally include a guidewire channel, the guidewire channel defining a guidewire lumen sized and configured to receive a guidewire therein
Data Source
AI summary
Medical delivery devices, such as catheters, and their methods of use and manufacture. The medical delivery devices are adapted to facilitate the delivery of an agent into a patient. The medical delivery devices may have one or more deformable lumens, each of which has a collapsed configuration and an open configuration. The medical delivery devices may include one or more agent delivery ports, any one of which may be proximal or distal to an expandable device, such as a balloon.