Guidewire With Integrated CMOS Observation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Insertion of guidewires into thin lumens such as blood vessels, bile ducts, and ureters requires complex operations and prolonged procedures when performed separately from endoscope insertion, leading to inefficiency and increased effort.
Innovation Solution
A guidewire with a flexible design featuring a first part and a second part with higher flexibility, equipped with an observation optical system including a CMOS sensor, objective lens, and illuminating optical system, allowing for real-time visualization and reduced diameter, enabling efficient insertion and operation without the need for additional endoscopic devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If guidewire insertion and endoscope insertion are performed separately, then each procedure can be performed with dedicated equipment, but the overall procedure time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the guidewire and endoscope into a single integrated device. The guidewire serves as the insertion shaft for the endoscope, merging two previously separate procedures into one unified operation. This eliminates the need for separate insertion steps, reducing overall procedure time while maintaining the reliability of both guidewire guidance and endoscopic observation functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidewire is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves both as a guidance tool for navigation and as the insertion shaft for the endoscope. The inserting portion of the guidewire can be advanced into the lumen first, and then the endoscope is inserted through this same guidewire structure. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate devices needed and streamlines the procedural workflow.
2Reliability
If guidewire insertion and endoscope insertion are performed separately, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the operational complexity and effort required increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the guidewire and endoscope into a single integrated system, the patent reduces the number of separate manipulation steps required. The operator controls both the guidewire advancement and endoscope insertion through a unified structure, simplifying the operational sequence while maintaining the functional reliability of both components.
3Measurement precision
If a rigid guidewire structure is used, then guidance accuracy is improved, but flexibility and ease of insertion into thin lumens deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire employs local quality differentiation with a distal portion that has higher flexibility than the proximal portion. This allows the tip to navigate complex anatomical pathways in thin lumens with ease, while the proximal portion maintains sufficient rigidity for accurate guidance and control. The flexibility gradient enables both accurate positioning and easy navigation through curved or narrow passages.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidewire incorporates dynamic flexibility characteristics where different sections have different rigidity properties. The distal portion is designed to be more flexible to adapt to anatomical variations, while the proximal portion provides structural stability. This dynamic structure allows the guidewire to maintain guidance accuracy while easily conforming to the natural curvature of thin lumens during insertion.
Data Source
AI summary
[Problem] To provide a guidewire that has good operability and that can perform procedures efficiently.[Solution to Problem] A guidewire is for guiding insertion of a medical appliance into a subject. The guidewire includes an inserting portion and an observation optical system. The inserting portion has a first part and a second part that has higher flexibility than the first part, and the inserting portion is to be inserted into the subject. The observation optical system is provided to the inserting portion, and the observation optical system is provided for observing inside the subject.