Electrosurgical Balloon with Bipolar Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices with electrode tips face size and shape restrictions due to their diameter, limiting their functionality and performance in navigating narrow body passageways for electrosurgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
An electrosurgical balloon with a pair of bipolar electrodes on its exterior surface, inflatable with a non-conductive substrate material, and fluid outlet holes to provide conductive fluid, allowing for increased surface area contact with tissue and adjustable size for various anatomical sites.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If an electrode tip is made with a larger size and shape to achieve desired functionality and performance capabilities, then the electrode can provide better electrosurgical performance, but the electrode cannot be deployed through small trocars and narrow passageways in the body
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode tip is designed as an inflatable balloon that can be collapsed to a small size for delivery through narrow passageways and then inflated at the target site to achieve the desired large surface area for electrosurgical procedures. This dynamic transformation allows the electrode to transition between small and large states, resolving the contradiction between deployability and functional performance
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon electrode is collapsed into a compact form that can be nested within the elongated medical device and delivered through small trocars. Once at the target location, the balloon is inflated to expand the electrode surface area, enabling the nested structure to transition from a compact deliverable state to a functional expanded state
2Area of moving object
If a rigid electrode tip is used, then the size and shape are fixed and can provide stable electrosurgical performance, but the electrode cannot be flexed or expanded to increase surface area contact with tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode transitions from a rigid collapsed state during delivery to an inflated stable state at the target site. The inflation process maintains structural stability while dramatically increasing the surface area, allowing the electrode to be both stable and expandable
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon electrode utilizes a flexible membrane structure that can be inflated to expand the surface area while maintaining structural integrity. The thin film structure allows for large surface area expansion without compromising the stability needed for electrosurgical procedures
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 electrosurgical procedures with enhanced functionality and performance capabilities beyond traditional size limitations, facilitating treatments like tissue coagulation and ablation through a larger electrode system deployable via small trocars.
Implementation Method 1
An electrosurgical procedure involves a medical device having an electrode tip that is electrically energized to perform a procedure such as coagulation, dissection, desiccation and cautery. The electrical energy can be provided in either direct current (DC) form or in alternating current (AC) form. Higher frequency electrical energy, and in particular electrical energy in the radiofrequency (RF) range (e.g., about 3 kilohertz to about 300 gigahertz), may not stimulate muscle or nerves, and therefore may be better suited to core and coagulate tissue.
Implementation Method 2
at least one fluid outlet hole in the balloon body configured to provide a conductive fluid from a fluid source to the pair of bipolar electrodes
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical balloon includes an inflatable balloon body formed of a non-conductive substrate material. One or more electrodes are disposed on an exterior surface of the balloon body. The electrodes can include a pair of bipolar electrodes, and the balloon body can have at least one fluid outlet hole configured to provide fluid to the pair of bipolar electrodes. A second inflatable balloon body can be disposed inside the first inflatable balloon body. The electrosurgical balloon can be incorporated into a catheter assembly, in which the electrosurgical balloon is a balloon electrode tip at a distal end of a catheter.