Double Balloon Catheter for Clot Dissolution and Debris Trapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating arterial obstructions, particularly blood clots, are costly, require specialized training, and are not widely available, leading to delayed treatment for many heart attack victims due to the limited number of equipped facilities.
Innovation Solution
A novel apparatus comprising a standard guide wire, a first catheter with a tapered distal end, and a second catheter with balloons for reestablishing blood flow and dissolving clots, which can be used with less specialized training and in more accessible settings, including a kit with a blocking device to manage debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional techniques and apparatus are used for treating arterial obstructions, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but cost increases and accessibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system is designed to perform multiple functions (thrombolysis, mechanical clot removal, blood flow restoration) within a single device platform, making the treatment accessible in facilities without highly specialized equipment while maintaining effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment system is divided into separate modular components (catheter, balloons, thrombolytic delivery system, clot retrieval mechanisms) that can be deployed independently or in combination, allowing flexibility in resource-limited settings
2Reliability
If conventional techniques and apparatus are used for treating arterial obstructions, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter design nests multiple functional elements within a single deliverable device - balloons are mounted on the catheter shaft, thrombolytic ports are integrated into the catheter wall, and clot retrieval mechanisms are contained within the catheter lumen, simplifying deployment while maintaining comprehensive functionality
3Loss of time
If treatment is delayed due to limited facility availability, then mortality and muscle damage increase, but simplifying the apparatus may reduce treatment effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical clot removal techniques with a simplified approach using thrombolytic drugs delivered through an integrated catheter system, reducing the need for highly specialized facilities while maintaining treatment effectiveness and enabling faster deployment in remote locations
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
Enables rapid reestablishment of blood flow and effective clot removal in a variety of vascular locations, including coronary and peripheral arteries, and veins, reducing muscle damage and mortality by making the treatment more accessible and less resource-intensive.
Implementation Method 1
infusion of a thrombolytic agent to dissolve the clot
Implementation Method 2
inflating the balloons to trap any clot fragments that may be dislodged
Implementation Method 3
with suction applied through the catheter
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, a kit and a method for rapidly restoring blood flow through, and removing a clot from, a blood vessel by chemical dissolution. The essential components include an instrument for preventing the flow of debris downstream of the clot, a coronary catheter constructed to be introduced into the blood vessel and a double balloon catheter that has a tapered tip and that can form an enclosed space containing the clot and via which dissolution fluid can be brought into contact with the clot.