Expandable Catheter Support for Prostate Capsule Preservation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for treating cancer and sampling tissues, particularly in organs like the prostate, often result in suboptimal outcomes due to damage to delicate nerve and blood vessel structures, and may fail to accurately diagnose benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) coexisting with prostate cancer (PCa), leading to less than ideal treatment results.

Innovation Solution

A catheter treatment apparatus with an expandable support that can be configured to expand within the treated organ, incorporating a radioactive substance to minimize damage to the prostate capsule and surrounding tissues, allowing for precise radiation therapy and improved tissue sampling while sparing nerves and vessels, and a diagnostic catheter for testing tissue samples during surgery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If prior methods of prostate surgery are used, then tissue removal can be achieved, but damage to nerves and blood vessels occurs leading to decreased functioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue removal precisionVSAvoiddamage to nerves and blood vessels

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The prostate is divided into distinct zones (transition zone and peripheral zone) with different treatment approaches. The TUE device selectively removes tissue from specific zones while preserving adjacent delicate structures through controlled segmental resection rather than en bloc removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different treatment modalities are applied to different regions of the prostate. The expandable support structure allows localized radiation therapy to be delivered to specific areas containing cancerous tissue while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, nerves, and blood vessels from harmful radiation exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If early diagnosis of prostate cancer is performed, then treatment outcomes can be improved, but differentiation between BPH and PCa becomes more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnosis accuracyVSAvoiddiagnostic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system combines diagnostic biopsy capabilities with therapeutic resection functions in a single integrated platform. Tissue samples are collected during the TUE procedure and immediately analyzed using molecular biomarkers to differentiate between BPH and PCa, enabling real-time diagnostic confirmation without requiring separate biopsy procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional mechanical histological examination is supplemented or replaced with molecular biomarker analysis and imaging techniques that can rapidly identify cancerous tissue characteristics during surgery, providing faster and more accurate diagnosis without complex postoperative processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If traditional tissue sampling methods are used, then cells can be collected, but diagnostic accuracy for coexisting BPH and PCa is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell sampling accuracyVSAvoidcancer detection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Conventional morphological examination of tissue samples is enhanced or replaced with molecular biomarker detection methods that can specifically identify cancerous cells amidst benign hyperplastic tissue, significantly improving the accuracy of cancer detection in mixed pathology cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

Molecular biomarkers and imaging agents cause detectable changes (such as fluorescence or colorimetric responses) that differentiate cancerous tissue from benign tissue in collected samples, enabling rapid and accurate identification of PCa cells during the diagnostic process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

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 solution enables reduced damage to prostate tissues during cancer treatment, improved precision in treating cancerous and benign tissue, and enhanced diagnostic capabilities during surgery, leading to better patient outcomes and more effective cancer management.

Implementation Method 1

the expandable support comprises a radioactive substance to treat cancerous tissue

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadioactive decay: Radioactive Decay

Data Source

PatentUS10369380B2Tissue sampling, cancer detection and treatment methods

Publication Date: 2019.08.06 PROCEPT BIOROBOTICS CORP

AI summary

A catheter treatment apparatus comprises an elongate tubular member and an expandable support. The expandable support comprises a radioactive substance to treat cancerous tissue and is configured to expand from a narrow profile for insertion to a wide profile to engage and treat tissue remaining after resection. The expandable support can be sized to fit within a volume of removed tissue to place the radioactive substance in proximity to the capsule and remaining tissue, to spare the capsule and proximate nerves and vessels to treat tissue in proximity to the capsule. The elongate tubular member may comprise a channel such as a lumen to pass a bodily fluid such as urine when the expandable support engages the tissue to treat the patient for a plurality of days. The treatment apparatus can be used to resect and diagnose tissue concurrently. Based on the diagnosis, targeted segmental treatment may be given.