Implantable Medical Lead with Rotating Dilator Electrode Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable medical leads face challenges in efficiently delivering electrodes to target sites within the body, particularly for precise positioning and anchoring, which affects the effectiveness of electrical stimulation and sensing therapies.
Innovation Solution
An implantable medical lead design featuring a dilator electrode that rotates and translates within a lead body lumen, utilizing a helical screw thread to penetrate tissues, combined with a fixation member like tines for secure anchoring, and a probe wire for precise positioning, allowing for controlled delivery and stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional lead body design is used, then the structure is simple, but the electrode cannot be precisely positioned at the target site
Solution Approach 1:
The dilator is designed to be rotatable relative to the lead body, transforming a static lead structure into a dynamic one that can actively position the electrode at target sites through rotation-driven translation, thereby achieving precise positioning without excessive structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The helical screw thread is pre-configured on the dilator to convert rotational motion into translational motion automatically during insertion, enabling precise positioning to be achieved through a simple rotational action rather than complex mechanical control systems
2Ease of operation
If a fixed lead design is used, then the device is stable, but tissue penetration and electrode placement are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The dilator's rotatability provides dynamic capability for tissue penetration while the fixation member ensures stability once positioned, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The lead is segmented into functional components: the rotatable dilator for penetration and positioning, the fixation member for stability, and the electrode for therapy delivery, allowing each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the others
3Manufacturing precision
If manual electrode placement is used, then the procedure is simple, but placement precision and therapeutic effectiveness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The helical screw thread is pre-designed on the dilator to automatically convert rotation into translation during insertion, enabling precise electrode placement through a simple rotational motion without requiring complex positioning mechanisms or manual adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The complex manual positioning process is replaced by a mechanical advantage system where a simple rotational motion of the dilator, driven by the helical screw thread interaction with tissue, automatically achieves precise translation and electrode placement at the target site
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
Enables precise placement of electrodes at target sites, such as the heart's septum, for effective electrical stimulation and sensing, with reduced tissue trauma and improved therapeutic outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
The dilator defines a dilator axis and includes a helical screw thread on an exterior surface of the dilator, and the helical screw thread is configured to cause the dilator to translate substantially parallel to the dilator axis when the inner member transmits the torque to the dilator and the helical screw thread contacts a tissue in a patient
Implementation Method 2
The inner member is configured to transmit a torque to the dilator when the inner member rotates around the longitudinal axis of the lead body
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable medical lead comprising a lead body defining a lumen. The lead body includes one or more tines substantially at a distal end of the lead body. An inner member extending within the lead body lumen is configured to rotate relative to the lead body and configured to cause a rotation of a dilator. The dilator is configured such that the rotation causes or enables a lateral translation of the dilator from a first position proximal to a lead body opening to a second position distal to the lead body opening. The implantable medical lead may include a probe wire configured to slidably translate through an inner lumen of the dilator.