Inflatable Distal Tip for Medical Catheter Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical elongated tubular apparatuses often cause trauma and puncture risks due to their rigid leading ends when navigating tortuous bodily passageways, despite efforts to balance rigidity for trackability and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
An elongated medical apparatus with an inflatable distal end, where the inflatable member is mounted at the distal end and communicates with a lumen for inflation fluid, allowing for partial inflation to reduce trauma and improve navigation through sensitive body areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the leading end of the apparatus is made more rigid to optimize trackability, then the trackability of the apparatus is improved, but the risk of puncture and trauma to sensitive tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the apparatus is designed to be dynamically changeable in rigidity through inflation of a balloon or other expandable member. When deflated, the distal end remains flexible for navigation; when inflated, it becomes more rigid for stabilization or delivery functions, thus resolving the contradiction between needing rigidity for trackability and flexibility to avoid tissue trauma
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the distal end is changed by inflating an expandable member, transforming it from a soft, flexible state during navigation to a more rigid state when needed for the medical procedure, thereby adapting the rigidity parameter to different operational requirements without increasing trauma risk during insertion
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the distal end is made less rigid to reduce trauma risk, then the risk of puncture and trauma is reduced, but the ability to track the target area effectively deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus transitions from a permanently rigid distal end to a dynamically adjustable structure where the distal end can be inflated to provide rigidity when tracking or stabilizing is needed, thus maintaining both low trauma risk during navigation and effective tracking capability when required
3Adaptability or versatility
If the apparatus is made more flexible to navigate tortuous passageways, then the ability to traverse curves and bends is improved, but the trackability and structural stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus is segmented into a proximal portion with higher rigidity for trackability and a distal portion with lower rigidity for navigating tortuous passageways. The expandable member at the distal end can be inflated to provide temporary structural support and improve trackability when needed, thus resolving the contradiction between flexibility for navigation and rigidity for tracking
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the apparatus have different rigidity characteristics - the proximal end is more rigid for stable tracking while the distal end is more flexible for navigating curves. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the apparatus to simultaneously achieve both trackability and adaptability to tortuous anatomy
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
The inflatable distal end reduces the risk of puncture and trauma to surrounding tissues while maintaining the ability to track target areas effectively, enhancing access to remote body anatomy.
Implementation Method 1
An interior space of the inflatable member communicates with one of the lumens for receiving an inflation fluid therethrough
Data Source
AI summary
An elongated medical apparatus suitable for insertion into a bodily passageway of a patient for carrying out a medical procedure. The elongated apparatus includes an elongated tubular body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion terminates at a distal end. The tubular body has a plurality of lumens extending therein. An inflatable balloon member is mounted at the distal end of the tubular body and extends in a distal direction therefrom. The balloon member is inflated by receiving an inflation fluid through one of the lumens. The presence of the balloon member at the leading end of the elongated apparatus reduces the risk of puncture and trauma upon insertion of the apparatus into the bodily passageway.