Expandable Catheter Struts with Incising Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intravascular catheters for treating atherosclerosis are complex and inefficient, as they require high-speed motors for atherectomy and lack a controlled method to fragment or remove atherosclerotic lesions effectively during angioplasty procedures.
Innovation Solution
An intravascular catheter with an expandable portion featuring struts with incising elements and abrasive surfaces that can be selectively expanded to create incisions and micro-abrade atherosclerotic material, allowing for controlled fragmentation and removal of lesions during procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed rotational atherectomy devices are used to remove atherosclerotic material, then atherectomy can be performed, but the device complexity increases due to requiring high-speed motors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the high-speed rotational motor system with a simple expandable mechanical structure. The incising elements are deployed radially outward when the expandable portion is expanded, creating incisions through pure mechanical expansion rather than rotational cutting. This eliminates the need for complex motors and control systems while maintaining atherectomy functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is divided into a collapsible portion and an expandable portion. The expandable portion contains multiple struts with incising elements that can be selectively deployed. This segmentation allows the device to transition from a low-profile delivery state to an active treatment state without requiring complex mechanisms, as the expansion is driven by simple balloon inflation.
2Productivity
If high-speed rotational devices are used for atherectomy, then atherosclerotic material can be removed, but the procedure becomes less controllable compared to selective expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a static delivery configuration to a dynamic treatment configuration through controlled expansion. The operator can selectively expand the expandable portion to deploy incising elements only at the desired lesion site, providing precise spatial and temporal control. The elements can be deployed, used, and retracted in a controlled manner, unlike continuous rotational cutting.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is pre-positioned within the vessel with the expandable portion containing the incising elements in a collapsed state. Once positioned at the lesion, the operator inflates the balloon to expand the elements directly at the treatment site. This preliminary positioning followed by localized expansion provides greater procedural control compared to activating high-speed rotation after device insertion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If incising elements are added to the catheter struts, then the ability to create incisions in atherosclerotic material is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The incising elements are integrated directly onto the struts of the expandable portion, merging the structural support function of the struts with the cutting function of the incising elements. This integration eliminates the need for separate cutting mechanisms or additional components, as the struts themselves become the delivery mechanism for the incising elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The struts serve multiple functions: providing structural support for the expandable portion, serving as the delivery mechanism for incising elements, and directly functioning as cutting elements when incising elements are attached. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by eliminating redundant components.
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 catheter enables precise incision and fragmentation of atherosclerotic material, facilitating safer and more effective angioplasty and atherectomy procedures by reducing the need for high-speed motors and improving lesion removal efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The abrasive surfaces may be located on the outer surface of the struts and may be configured to score, roughen, or remove through micro-abrasion of atherosclerotic material when the expandable portion is in the opened position and moved longitudinally within a blood vessel.
Data Source
AI summary
An intravascular device is provided having a catheter tube and an expandable portion including a plurality of struts capable of being moved between an open and a closed position. An incising element and an abrasive surface are provided on at least one of the struts. The incising element has a sharpened edge for creating an incision in, and the abrasive surface is configured to abrade, atherosclerotic material located within a blood vessel when the expandable portion is in the opened position.