Helical-Slot Guidewire Torque Control for Branch Vessel Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current guidewires lack the ability to torque effectively, making it difficult to select branch vessels swiftly and accurately in complex vasculature, which is crucial for navigating catheters and performing procedures like thrombectomy.
Innovation Solution
A guidewire design featuring an inner core wire movable relative to an outer jacket with helical slots, allowing axial movement of the core wire to rotate the distal tip, enabling precise torque and navigation through tortuous blood vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the flexible segment is constructed using coiled metallic wire fixed over a thin and flexible core metallic wire, then the guidewire achieves a high degree of flexibility to navigate tortuous blood vessels, but the ability to torque the tip is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire is divided into distinct functional segments: a flexible distal tip section with coiled wire for navigation, a intermediate section with helical slots and pins for torque transmission, and a proximal manipulation section. This segmentation allows the distal tip to be highly flexible while the intermediate section provides effective torque transmission from proximal manipulation to distal tip rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The helical slots and pins act as an intermediary mechanism between the proximal manipulation and distal tip. When the guidewire is twisted proximally, the pins engage with the helical slots to convert axial movement into rotational movement at the distal tip, effectively transmitting torque through the flexible intermediate section.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the guidewire is made highly flexible to maneuver through extreme tortuosity in brain blood vessels, then it can navigate the vasculature, but it lacks the ability to torque effectively and swiftly to select branch vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire incorporates dynamic elements including a flexible distal tip that can adapt its shape as it navigates tortuous vessels, and a torque transmission mechanism with helical slots and pins that dynamically converts proximal twisting motions into distal tip rotations, enabling swift branch vessel selection while maintaining navigation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidewire design changes physical parameters along its length: the distal tip has high flexibility parameters for navigation, while the intermediate section has optimized torque transmission parameters with specific helical slot geometries and pin configurations that enable rapid rotation and branch vessel access.
3Ease of operation
If manual twisting is applied to the proximal end of the guidewire, then torque is applied to the guidewire, but due to vasculature tortuosity and guidewire construction, the twisting does not translate proportionally to the distal end
Solution Approach 1:
The natural, inefficient mechanical torque transmission through a purely flexible wire is replaced with a controlled mechanical system featuring helical slots and pins. This system actively converts proximal twisting motions into precise distal tip rotations, ensuring that manual torque application at the proximal end translates accurately and proportionally to the distal end despite vasculature tortuosity.
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
Enhances the ability to select and access branch vessels and break up clots by providing controlled and effective torque at the distal tip, improving procedural efficiency and accuracy in neurovascular applications.
Implementation Method 1
one or more helical slots adjacent the distal end... Each pin may be slidably received in a respective helical slot in the outer jacket such that axial movement of the core wire relative to the outer jacket causes the pin to slide within the helical slot and rotate the distal tip
Data Source
AI summary
High torque guidewires and methods for making and using them are provided. A guidewire may include an inner core wire movable relative to an outer jacket. The outer jacket includes proximal and distal ends, a lumen extending there between, thereby defining a longitudinal axis, and one or more helical slots adjacent the distal end. The core wire includes a proximal portion, a distal portion slidably received in the outer jacket lumen and terminating in a curved distal tip that extends from the outer jacket distal end, and one or more pins on the distal portion, each pin slidably received in a respective helical slot in the outer jacket such that axial movement of the core wire relative to the outer jacket causes the pin to slide within the helical slot and rotate the distal tip relative to the outer jacket distal end.