Flexible High-Frequency Catheter Tension Element Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-frequency therapy devices face issues with mechanical stress, as external forces during treatment are transmitted through multiple connection points, leading to potential detachment or tearing of components, and tissue dehydration causes impedance increase, limiting application duration.
Innovation Solution
A flexible high-frequency catheter with a tension element connecting the head electrode to the connecting element, acting as both a mechanical and electrical conduit, and internal fluid circulation or controlled irrigation to maintain tissue conductivity and prevent dehydration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external forces are transmitted through multiple connection points in conventional devices, then the device structure is distributed and flexible, but the reliability decreases due to potential detachment or tearing at connection points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple connection points into a single continuous tension element that extends from the head electrode to the connecting element. This eliminates the multiple discrete connection points found in conventional devices, creating a unified load-bearing structure that prevents detachment and tearing while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The tension element is designed as a continuous load-bearing structure with specific segmentation in its functional zones: a first region firmly connected to the head electrode, a second region firmly connected to the connecting element, and a third intermediate region that is continuous and load-bearing. This segmentation allows the element to handle different mechanical requirements in different zones while maintaining overall reliability.
2Ease of operation
If the catheter is made flexible for endoluminal or interstitial-endoscopic use, then the ease of operation improves, but the mechanical strength decreases under external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft tube is designed with locally differentiated properties: it possesses flexibility in its overall structure to enable endoluminal or interstitial-endoscopic use, while incorporating a tension element with specific local regions that have enhanced mechanical strength. The first region near the head electrode and the second region near the connecting element are designed with high tensile strength to resist external forces, while the intermediate region maintains continuity and flexibility.
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
Enhances application security by transmitting external forces effectively and maintaining tissue conductivity, allowing for prolonged and efficient high-frequency therapy without impedance issues.
Implementation Method 1
whose cross-sectional area and tensile strength are so dimensioned so that all external forces which occur during a treatment and which act on the high-frequency catheter can be transmitted into the connecting element via the head electrode and the tension element
Implementation Method 2
The ohmic tissue resistance, which is part of the complex tissue impedance, converts the alternating current applied via the electrodes into Joule heat
Implementation Method 3
internal fluid circulation or controlled irrigation to maintain tissue conductivity and prevent dehydration
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3b
Figure 4a~4b
AI summary
The invention relates to a flexible application device (1) for the high-frequency treatment of biological tissue or hollow organs. Said application device (1) comprises a high-frequency catheter (5) that is provided with the following: - a flexible shaft tube (6) encompassing at least one continuous lumen; - a top electrode (2) located at the distal end of the high-frequency catheter (5); - an electric wire (9) with a terminal (20) for a high-frequency generator (11); and a joining element (8) between the shaft tube (6) and the wire (9), which is located at the proximal end of the shaft tube (6). An electrically conducting traction element (12) extends between the top electrode (2) and the joining element (8) in the lumen. Said traction element (12) is connected in a fixed manner to the top electrode (2) and the joining element (8) while being tension-proof such that all external forces which occur during a treatment and act upon the high-frequency catheter (5) can be transmitted to the joining element (8) via the top electrode (2) and the traction element (12).