Electrode Guide for Nerve Denervation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrode devices for nerve denervation or modulation struggle to reliably and efficiently enclose the outer walls of varying-sized blood vessels and tubes in the body, necessitating a solution that can adapt to different diameters and locations for effective nerve damage or modulation.
Innovation Solution
An electrode apparatus featuring a deformable electrode guide with joint units, including hinge and winding support units, that can be wound around a tube to ensure complete circumference coverage, allowing precise placement and energy transfer, and is manufactured as a single member without assembly for reduced complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a component including an electrode is formed at the end of a catheter to enclose the outer wall of the artery, then nerve denervation or modulation can be achieved, but it is difficult to reliably and rapidly enclose arteries with varying diameters and locations
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode component is divided into multiple electrode segments that can independently adjust their positions. Each segment can be selectively activated or positioned to match the specific diameter and location of the target artery, allowing the system to adapt to varying vessel sizes while maintaining reliable nerve denervation through precise electrode placement.
2Reliability
If the component needs to enclose the outer wall of the artery in a circumferential direction, then effective nerve denervation can be achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode segments are nested within a delivery catheter in a compact configuration during delivery. Once positioned at the target site, the segments are deployed outward in a controlled manner to form the circumferential enclosure around the artery. This nesting approach reduces device complexity during delivery while enabling effective circumferential nerve denervation at the target site.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electrode segments are used to enclose the artery, then adaptability to different artery sizes is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrode segments are manufactured as an integrated single-piece structure using additive manufacturing techniques. This merging approach allows the complex multi-segment geometry to be created in one manufacturing process without requiring assembly of multiple separate components, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining adaptability to different artery sizes through the segmented design.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3C
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AI summary
An electrode apparatus for nerve denervation or modulation in body includes a main body including a shaft; an electrode unit formed to be drawn out from one end of the shaft and configured to denervate or modulate at least part of nerves on a tube in the body; and an electrode guide coupled to the electrode unit and deformed into a wound state to bring the electrode unit into contact with the tube in the body. The electrode guide includes a plurality of joint units disposed to enclose the circumference of the tube with the electrode unit interposed therebetween in the wound state.