Guide Catheter Braid Transition for Flexibility and Rigidity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing intracorporeal medical devices, such as guide catheters, lack the ability to customize performance characteristics like flexibility and stiffness across different regions, necessitating the need for variable reinforcing braid patterns to enhance maneuverability and functionality.

Innovation Solution

A guide catheter design featuring a transition region where the braid pattern changes from a 'diamond pattern - half load' to a 'diamond pattern - full load', allowing for continuous filaments to pair and run parallel, providing customized performance characteristics along the catheter shaft.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a guide catheter is made flexible and low-profile for safe navigation through tortuous vasculature, then safety and navigability are improved, but the catheter lacks sufficient rigidity to engage and deliver complex interventional devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter flexibility and navigabilityVSAvoidcatheter rigidity for device engagement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter is divided into distinct segments: a flexible distal portion for navigation and a more rigid proximal portion for device engagement. The reinforcing member is positioned within the catheter body to provide localized structural support in specific zones, allowing different sections to have different mechanical properties optimized for their specific functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter combines materials with different mechanical properties - a flexible catheter body material (such as polymers like Nylon 12 or Teflon AF) with a stiffer reinforcing member material (such as shape memory alloys like Nitinol or stainless steel). This composite construction allows the catheter to exhibit both flexibility for navigation and rigidity for device engagement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If a guide catheter is made stiffer to engage and deliver complex devices, then device engagement capability is improved, but the catheter becomes difficult to navigate through tortuous vasculature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter rigidity for device engagementVSAvoidcatheter navigability through vasculature

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the catheter have different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The distal portion remains highly flexible for navigating tortuous vessels, while the proximal portion incorporates the reinforcing member to provide the rigidity needed for device engagement and delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If a guide catheter uses a traditional stiff structure for device delivery, then device engagement is improved, but the catheter creates excessive radial force that risks vessel dissection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter rigidity for device deliveryVSAvoidvessel dissection risk from radial force

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter employs a shape memory alloy reinforcing member that can change its mechanical properties in response to temperature or other stimuli. This allows the catheter to adjust its radial force characteristics - being more compliant during navigation to minimize vessel trauma, and becoming stiffer when needed for device engagement and delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter's mechanical properties are made dynamic rather than static. The shape memory alloy reinforcing member can transition between different states, allowing the catheter to adapt its rigidity and radial force output based on the procedural requirements, thereby reducing the risk of vessel dissection while maintaining device delivery capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 design enhances flexibility and maneuverability by altering the braid pattern, improving the catheter's ability to navigate complex anatomical pathways effectively.

Implementation Method 1

The guide catheter includes a reinforcing member within the catheter body. The reinforcing member is made of a shape memory alloy and has a transformed state in which the reinforcing member is expanded to engage and deliver an interventional device through the guide catheter.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShape memory effect: Shape Memory Alloy

Data Source

PatentEP4126158B1Guide catheter with reinforcing member

Publication Date: 2026.04.29 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2A

AI summary

An example medical device (10) includes an elongate member (12) having a proximal end region (16), a distal end region (18) and an outer surface. The medical device also includes a plurality of filaments (32) braided together in a first braided pattern along a first braided region (26) of the elongate member, wherein the plurality of filaments extend continuously to a second braided region (28) along the elongate member, wherein the plurality of filaments along the second braided region form a second braided pattern different from the first braided pattern.