Infrared Guidewire for Sinus Tissue Visualization
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for dilating anatomical passageways, such as sinuses, face challenges in visual confirmation of balloon positioning during procedures, especially in ambient lighting conditions and through thick tissue, leading to potential inaccuracies and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The use of an infrared illuminated guidewire system that emits light in the infrared spectrum, coupled with a camera and display or infrared-sensitive glasses, allows for better visualization of the guidewire's position through the patient's tissue, enhancing external confirmation of balloon placement and improving procedural accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visible light illumination is used to confirm guidewire position, then the positioning can be visualized, but the visualization is insufficient in ambient lighting conditions and through thick tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the wavelength parameter of the illumination light from visible spectrum to infrared spectrum. This parameter change allows the light to penetrate tissue more effectively and is not affected by ambient visible lighting conditions, thereby resolving the contradiction between visualization accuracy and environmental interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional visible light illumination system with an infrared illumination system. This substitution enables the guidewire position to be visualized through transcutaneous infrared imaging, which is not affected by ambient lighting and can penetrate thick tissue, thus improving measurement precision while overcoming environmental harmful factors.
2Reliability
If conventional illumination methods are used, then the system remains simple, but visual confirmation of balloon positioning is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The infrared guidewire system serves multiple functions: it provides structural guidance for balloon placement and simultaneously enables visual confirmation of guidewire and balloon positioning through transcutaneous infrared imaging. This multi-functionality improves reliability without requiring separate verification systems, thereby justifying the moderate increase in device complexity.
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 provides clearer visualization of the guidewire's position regardless of ambient lighting and tissue thickness, ensuring precise balloon placement and improved dilation efficacy, even in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The light source may be any suitable infrared light source, including but not limited to infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs), infrared lasers, or other infrared light sources.
Implementation Method 2
The infrared light from the guidewire transilluminates through the patient's tissue, and thus the position of the guidewire's distal end may be imaged from outside the patient's body.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus comprises a guidewire body and a light source. The guidewire body includes an optically transmissive element. The guidewire body is sized for insertion in a sinus ostium of a patient. The light source is in optical communication with the optically transmissive element of the guidewire body. The light source is operable to transmit infrared light or narrowband visible light through the optically transmissive element. A detector may be used to detect light transmitted by the optically transmissive element through the patient. The detector may include a camera or a photodetector. Glasses may be used to provide an overlay of a camera image or to filter out light to enable focusing on light of a specific wavelength. A beam processing element may be used to provide a beam waist with an average irradiance of more than 10 W/cm2 within the acceptance angle of the optically transmissive element.