Friction-Reducing Sleeve for Catheter Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current stent delivery systems face challenges in maintaining consistent friction levels during the deployment of implantable medical endoprostheses, which can affect the accuracy and ease of deployment within body vessels.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a valve and a sleeve with a lubricious inner layer and a rigid outer layer, configured to maintain a substantially constant friction level between the sleeve and the outer sheath of the catheter assembly, ensuring a fluid-tight seal and preventing radial compression, is used to facilitate the deployment of stents by reducing friction and maintaining accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a valve is used to create a fluid-tight seal around the catheter assembly, then sealing reliability is improved, but friction between the valve and catheter assembly increases causing inconsistent deployment forces
Solution Approach 1:
A sleeve is introduced as an intermediary component between the valve and the catheter assembly. The sleeve creates the fluid-tight seal with the valve while the catheter assembly slides through the sleeve with reduced and consistent friction, decoupling the sealing function from the deployment friction
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the valve provides sealing, the sleeve provides low-friction guidance, and the catheter assembly provides deployment. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the others
2Productivity
If the outer sheath is retracted to deploy the endoprosthesis, then deployment is achieved, but friction variability causes inaccurate positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve acts as a mediator that guides the catheter assembly through a path with consistent friction characteristics. This allows the outer sheath to be retracted smoothly and predictably, enabling accurate positioning of the endoprosthesis while maintaining deployment speed
3Reliability
If a tight seal is created between the valve and catheter assembly, then fluid-tight sealing is improved, but friction increases making retraction difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve serves as a mediator that separates the sealing interface from the sliding interface. The valve seals tightly against the sleeve while the catheter assembly slides through the sleeve with minimal friction, reducing the force required for retraction while maintaining sealing effectiveness
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 system enhances the accuracy and ease of deploying stents by maintaining consistent friction levels, preventing unintended movement of the handle and inner member, and allowing for precise longitudinal positioning, thereby improving the overall stent delivery process.
Implementation Method 1
The system includes a sleeve configured to be disposed between the outer sheath of the catheter assembly and the adaptor when the catheter assembly is disposed in the lumen of the adaptor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
This invention relates to systems which include a sleeve (104) configured to be disposed between an adaptor (102) and a catheter assembly (202) including an outer sheath (208) surrounding an inner member (212).