Dilation Catheter Guide Tip Positioning Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical instruments for dilating anatomical passageways, such as those in the ear, nose, or throat, face challenges in accurately positioning and navigating the distal ends of dilation catheters and guide elements during procedures, especially when direct visualization is limited, leading to potential inaccuracies and complications.
Innovation Solution
The development of a dilation instrument with a translating guide tip element that incorporates a position sensor or illuminating feature, allowing for real-time feedback on the instrument's position within the body using image-guided surgery systems, enabling precise navigation and positioning of the dilation catheter relative to the guide element, even in anatomically constrained areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a dilation catheter is advanced distally relative to a guide element to reach the target passageway, then the catheter can perform the dilation function, but the distal end of the catheter becomes difficult to visualize and position accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a navigation sensor at the distal end of the guide element that provides real-time positional feedback to a navigation system. This feedback mechanism allows the surgeon to accurately track and control the position of the catheter distal end during advancement, resolving the visibility and positioning difficulties that arise when the catheter is extended beyond the guide element.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a navigation sensor as an intermediary device between the catheter and the surgical field. This sensor acts as a mediator that translates the physical position of the catheter distal end into detectable signals, enabling indirect observation and precise positioning control without requiring direct visual access to the distal end.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the guide element remains stationary while the catheter advances distally, then the catheter can be positioned independently, but the guide element's distal end position becomes unclear
Solution Approach 1:
The navigation sensor mounted on the guide element continuously provides position feedback even when the guide element remains stationary. This ensures that the system maintains awareness of the guide element's distal end position throughout the procedure, preventing loss of spatial information while allowing the catheter to be advanced and repositioned independently.
3Measurement precision
If a navigation sensor is mounted on the guide element, then real-time position tracking is enabled, but the guide element becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation system into separate functional components: the guide element provides structural guidance, while the navigation sensor provides positioning information. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without unnecessarily complicating the overall system, as the sensor can be mounted on the guide element without requiring fundamental redesign of its structural role.
Data Source
AI summary
A dilation catheter is slidably disposed relative to a first guide. A second guide is slidably disposed relative to the first guide and relative to the dilation catheter. The second guide includes an indicator element indicating a position of the distal end of the second guide in three-dimensional space. The second guide positions the indicator element at the distal end of the first guide and remains longitudinally stationary as the dilation catheter translates distally from a proximal position to an intermediate longitudinal position. The second guide translates concomitantly with the dilation catheter as the dilation catheter translates distally from the intermediate longitudinal position to a distal position. The indicator element is positioned with the distal end of the dilation catheter as the dilation catheter translates distally from the intermediate longitudinal position to a distal position.