Offset Operation-Wire Medical Guidewire for Adjustable Bending
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical wires require multiple guide wires with different bending stiffnesses to penetrate chronic total occlusion lesions, necessitating time-consuming insertion and removal processes and manual adjustment of curvature outside the body.
Innovation Solution
A medical wire design with a flexible tube and operation wire, where the operation wire is fixed offset from the tube's central axis, allowing controlled bending and adjustable stiffness by pulling the wire, eliminating the need for multiple wires and manual curvature adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple guide wires with different bending stiffnesses are used to penetrate chronic total occlusion lesions, then the ability to navigate through different vessel conditions is improved, but the surgical time increases due to repeated insertion and removal operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple guide wires with different bending stiffnesses into a single integrated wire structure. The wire includes a distal portion with first bending stiffness for navigating to the lesion and a proximal portion with second bending stiffness for penetration, merged together to eliminate the need for multiple separate wires and repeated insertion/removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic bending stiffness distribution along the wire length. The distal portion has higher bending stiffness for penetrating chronic total occlusion lesions, while the proximal portion has lower bending stiffness for easy navigation through blood vessels. This dynamic property distribution allows the single wire to adapt to different operational requirements without physical replacement.
2Ease of operation
If the curvature of the guide wire front end portion is manually adjusted outside the body, then the ability to select blood vessels at bifurcation portions is improved, but the surgical time increases and operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a pre-shaped front end portion with predetermined curvature into the guide wire design. This preliminary shaping allows the wire to naturally follow the desired path through blood vessel bifurcations without requiring manual adjustment during surgery, reducing surgical time and operational complexity while maintaining ease of navigation.
3Loss of time
If a single guide wire is used with both navigation and penetration functions, then the surgical time is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the guide wire into functionally distinct portions: a distal portion with first bending stiffness for penetration and a proximal portion with second bending stiffness for navigation. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while being integrated into a single wire, reducing surgical time without excessive complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different bending stiffness properties to different local regions of the wire. The distal portion has higher bending stiffness for penetrating chronic total occlusion lesions, while the proximal portion has lower bending stiffness for easy navigation. This local quality differentiation enables the single wire to perform multiple functions efficiently.
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
This design reduces surgical time by enabling precise navigation through blood vessels and adjustable stiffness without requiring multiple guide wires, enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the first flexible tube is bent in a specific one direction in the radial direction while being compressed and deformed
Implementation Method 2
the first flexible tube is compressed and deformed in the front-rear direction between the first flexible tube and the support
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A medical wire includes a first flexible tube that extends in a front-rear direction and is formed to be bendable, an operation wire that extends in a front-rear direction and is inserted into the first flexible tube, and a support that is fixed to a rear end portion of the first flexible tube, in which a front end portion of the operation wire is fixed to a front end portion of the first flexible tube while being separated from a central axis of the first flexible tube in one direction in a radial direction.