Expandable Incising Catheter With Integrated Embolic Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular catheters lack an effective mechanism for selectively fragmenting atherosclerotic lesions and managing emboli during angioplasty procedures, with current embolic protection devices being cumbersome and requiring extensive inventory management.
Innovation Solution
An intravascular catheter with an expandable portion featuring struts and incising elements for controlled incisions, integrated with an embolic protection device like a mesh net to capture emboli, allowing for selective incision and emboli trapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an expandable portion with incising elements is added to the catheter, then the ability to fragment atherosclerotic lesions is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the incising function and embolic protection function into a single integrated catheter device. The expandable portion includes both incising elements on its struts and an embedded embolic protection filter, merging what would traditionally be separate devices into one unified system that performs multiple functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter device is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both an incising device for fragmenting atherosclerotic lesions and an embolic protection device with a filter to capture emboli. This universal design allows a single device to perform multiple therapeutic functions during angioplasty procedures.
2Reliability
If multiple separate embolic protection devices are used, then embolic protection is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome placement and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The embolic protection filter is integrated directly into the expandable portion of the catheter, combining it with the incising elements. This integration eliminates the need for separate embolic protection devices, simplifying the procedural workflow while maintaining reliable embolic protection during lesion fragmentation.
3Device complexity
If an embolic protection device is integrated with the expandable portion, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The embolic protection filter is nested within the structure of the expandable portion, specifically embedded in the struts that form the expandable framework. This nesting approach allows the filter to be integrated into the existing structural elements, reducing overall device complexity while managing manufacturing precision requirements through shared components.
Data Source
AI summary
An intravascular catheter device and methods for using the same are provided. An expandable portion is provided at a distal end of a flexible catheter tube and includes struts operable between a first position and a second position where the struts are moved outward from the first position. An incising member is provided at, and extends along a lengthwise dimension of, and outward from, at least one of the struts. An embolic protection device is provided which is configured for movement between a first position and a second position where the embolic protection device is enlarged relative to said first position.