Helical Sheath for Cardiac Electrode Implantation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheaths for implanting electrodes in the human heart are prone to kinking due to their discontinuous shape, which limits their ability to support stable positioning and anchoring of electrodes in the septum.
Innovation Solution
A sheath with a flexible, preshaped distal end portion that describes a helical curve, allowing it to maintain form stability and adapt to the cardiac anatomy for secure electrode implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the sheath has a discontinuous course with separate curved portions, then it can be guided to the implantation location, but it is sensitive to kinking and buckling under load
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is designed with a continuous helical curve instead of separate curved portions, creating a smooth spiral configuration that eliminates discontinuities. This continuous curvature prevents stress concentration and kinking while maintaining the ability to navigate to the implantation location, resolving the contradiction between guidability and form stability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the sheath shaft is made flexible to adapt to cardiac anatomy, then it can navigate cardiac veins and chambers, but it may buckle easily under load
Solution Approach 1:
The helical curve provides a continuous smooth transition that distributes mechanical loads evenly along the sheath shaft. This continuous spiral geometry maintains flexibility for navigating cardiac anatomy while preventing localized stress concentrations that cause buckling, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and strength.
3Ease of operation
If the distal portion has multiple curved portions with different curvatures, then it can position the electrode, but it creates discontinuities that limit load transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous helical curve replaces multiple separate curved portions, providing smooth transitions that maintain structural integrity. The spiral configuration enables electrode positioning while continuously distributing loads along the entire length of the sheath, eliminating the discontinuities that limit load transfer in multi-curved designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A sheath for implanting an electrode in the septum of a human heart, comprising an elongated sheath shaft which delimits a lumen. The sheath shaft has a flexible distal end portion, wherein the distal end portion is preshaped in such a way that it describes a helical curve.