Expandable Sheath with Dynamic Collapse for Stricture Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable sheaths used in medical procedures often become stuck around body strictures due to their inability to return to a collapsed configuration, making them difficult to maneuver or remove, which can be painful and potentially damaging to the patient.
Innovation Solution
A medical device comprising an elongate member with a biased collapsed configuration and an expandable member that can be moved from a collapsed to an expanded configuration, allowing easy passage past body strictures by inflating or expanding the sheath, facilitating its removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sheath is designed to expand around a stricture to surround it, then the sheath can define a workable opening through the stricture, but the expanded sheath becomes difficult to maneuver or remove from the body
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is designed with dynamic configurability, allowing it to transition between collapsed and expanded states. The sheath includes expandable elements that can be inflated or expanded to create a workable opening, then deflated or collapsed to enable easy removal, making the device adaptable to different operational requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath utilizes changes in physical parameters (volume, shape, configuration) to achieve different functional states. By controlling the expansion and collapse parameters of the sheath, it can transition from a compact insertion state to an expanded working state and back, resolving the contradiction between creating a workable opening and maintaining ease of removal
2Strength
If the sheath expands to surround the stricture, then it can dilate bodily tissue, but it cannot return to collapsed configuration making removal painful and potentially damaging
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath incorporates dynamic expansion and collapse mechanisms that allow it to perform tissue dilation when needed, then retract to a collapsed state for removal. This dynamic behavior eliminates the harmful effects of permanent expansion, reducing patient discomfort and damage risk while maintaining the ability to dilate tissue effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath design allows the expanded portion to be temporarily discarded or deflated after performing its dilation function, then recovered or collapsed for removal. This enables the sheath to perform the necessary tissue dilation and then retract, avoiding the harmful effects of leaving an expanded sheath in place
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 safe and efficient movement of the sheath past narrow body portions by allowing it to return to a collapsed configuration, reducing patient discomfort and risk of damage during medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The elongate member is biased to its collapsed configuration. The expandable member is configured to move the elongate member from its collapsed configuration to its expanded configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device includes an elongate member and an expandable member. The elongate member has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines a lumen. The elongate member has a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration and is biased to its collapsed configuration. The expandable member is coupled to the outer surface of the elongate member. The expandable member is configured to move the elongate member from its collapsed configuration to its expanded configuration.