Guidewire Coating Segmentation for Tactile Feedback and Easy Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guidewires either lack tactile feedback for precise control within bodily lumens or have high friction, preventing easy passage of surgical devices, failing to balance both features effectively.
Innovation Solution
A guidewire design featuring a hydrophilic surface coating encasing a metal coil with a core, where the core extends beyond the coil, and a proximal section has a hydrophobic coating, combined with a silane coating and thermoplastic polymer layers for improved tactile feedback and reduced friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hydrophilic coating is applied to the guidewire to reduce friction and allow easy passage of surgical devices, then device passage is improved, but tactile feedback to the user is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire is divided into multiple sections with different surface properties: a distal section with hydrophilic coating for reduced friction and easy device passage, and a proximal section with hydrophobic coating for maintaining tactile feedback. This segmentation allows each section to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the guidewire are given different surface characteristics tailored to their specific functional requirements. The distal portion has hydrophilic properties for smooth device passage, while the proximal portion has hydrophobic properties for tactile feedback, creating local quality variations along the guidewire length.
2Loss of information
If a hydrophobic coating is applied to the guidewire to maintain tactile feedback, then tactile feedback is improved, but friction increases preventing easy device passage
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire is segmented into distinct zones: the proximal section with hydrophobic coating provides tactile feedback, while the distal section with hydrophilic coating ensures easy device passage. This spatial segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning opposite surface properties to different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidewire exhibits local quality variations where the proximal portion has hydrophobic characteristics for tactile feedback and the distal portion has hydrophilic characteristics for reduced friction, allowing both contradictory requirements to be satisfied in different locations.
3Loss of information
If the core extends beyond the metal coil in both proximal and distal directions to provide tactile feedback, then tactile feedback is improved, but the guidewire structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire structure is segmented into functional zones: the core extends beyond the coil at both ends to provide tactile feedback, while the coil section provides flexibility and tracking. This segmentation creates distinct functional regions that work together to resolve the complexity issue.
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 guidewire provides enhanced tactile feedback for precise control while allowing easy passage of surgical devices, improving navigation and placement accuracy in tortuous bodily lumens.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophilic surface coating encasing a metal coil and a majority length of a core
Implementation Method 2
a proximal section of the guidewire includes a hydrophobic surface coating over a minority length of the core
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A guidewire comprising a hydrophilic surface coating encasing a core and a metal coil along a longitudinal length of the hydrophilic surface coating to form a distal closed tip, the metal coil circumscribing the core along a predetermined length, the core extending longitudinally beyond the metal coil in both a proximal direction and a distal direction, wherein a proximal section of the guidewire includes a hydrophobic surface coating.