Helical Intravascular Nerve Modulation Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current intravascular nerve modulation and ablation techniques face challenges in visualizing and effectively targeting nerves near blood vessels, often resulting in thermal injury to the vessel wall and other undesirable side effects due to the difficulty in distributing ablation sites along and around the vessel.
Innovation Solution
An intravascular system with a radially expanding, generally helical structure that allows for precise positioning of ablation elements along the inner wall of blood vessels, maintaining contact and structural rigidity to distribute ablation sites effectively while minimizing damage to the vessel wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a generally circumferential ring of energy is applied to ensure nerve modulation, then nerve ablation effectiveness is improved, but thermal injury to the vessel wall and other side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the circumferential ablation into multiple discrete ablation sites distributed along the vessel wall. Instead of applying energy uniformly around the entire circumference, the device creates segmented ablation zones at specific locations, reducing continuous thermal exposure to the vessel wall while still achieving effective nerve modulation at targeted sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies energy selectively at specific localized sites along the vessel rather than uniformly across the entire circumference. This allows concentrated energy delivery where nerves are present while leaving other areas with minimal or no energy application, thereby reducing overall thermal injury to the vessel wall while maintaining nerve ablation effectiveness.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple ablation elements are distributed along the radially expanding region, then ablation site distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a radially expandable framework that transforms from a compact delivery configuration to an expanded treatment configuration. In the collapsed state, multiple ablation elements are contained within a small profile for easy delivery. Upon deployment, the framework expands radially to position ablation elements at precise locations along the vessel wall, achieving accurate ablation site distribution without requiring a permanently complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests multiple ablation elements and the radially expandable framework within a delivery catheter during the delivery phase. The entire treatment structure is contained within the catheter lumen in a compressed state. Once deployed, the framework expands outward from within the catheter, sequentially deploying ablation elements to their functional positions, thereby achieving complex spatial distribution through a simplified delivery process.
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 approach enables targeted nerve modulation and ablation with reduced thermal injury and side effects, improving the efficacy and safety of nerve modulation procedures by maintaining contact and distributing ablation sites along the vessel wall.
Implementation Method 1
it may be desirable to ablate perivascular nerves using a radio frequency (RF) electrode
Implementation Method 2
ablating some of the nerves running to the kidneys may reduce or eliminate this sympathetic function
Implementation Method 3
application of thermal, ultrasonic, laser, microwave, and other related energy sources to the vessel wall
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
The disclosure pertains to an intravascular system for nerve modulation through a wall of a blood vessel and methods of use therefor, wherein the system is capable of nerve modulation by one or more ablations of a blood vessel adjacent to the nerve to be modulated. The intravascular system is suited for modulation of renal nerves.