Inner Lumen Lubricious Coating for Low-Friction Catheter Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical device coatings for inner lumens, such as catheters, are not effectively lubricious and often require application in flat or vertical states, limiting their use in delivering multiple devices through the human vasculature with reduced friction and resistance.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for applying a lubricious coating to the inner surface of tubes, using a withdrawal system to deposit a coating solution with controlled pressure and curing, achieving a thickness between 1 μm and 25 μm, and utilizing adhesion promoters like silanes or plasma treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional coatings (PTFE, FEP, HDPE) are applied to the outer surface of catheters, then lubricity is improved, but the coating cannot be effectively applied to the inner lumen surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by applying coating to the inner lumen surface rather than the outer surface. The coating solution is delivered through a catheter into the inner lumen, where it adheres to the luminal surface, enabling lubricity where it is most needed for device passage through the vasculature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a coating solution as an intermediary carrier that can be delivered through the catheter lumen. This liquid coating solution serves as a mediator to transfer the lubricious coating material onto the inner lumen surface, solving the problem of how to apply coating in the luminal state.
2Ease of manufacture
If coating is applied while the material is in a flat state, then coating application is simplified, but the coating cannot provide effective lubricity in the luminal state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic coating application process where the coating solution is delivered through the catheter in a liquid state and then cured to form a solid lubricious coating. This allows the coating to be applied in the luminal state rather than requiring flat-state application, providing effective lubricity when the catheter is in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the coating material from solid (flat state) to liquid (coating solution) for application, then transforms it back to solid through curing. This parameter change enables the coating to be applied in the luminal state while maintaining effectiveness in the final solid state.
3Ease of operation
If a lubricious coating is applied to reduce friction and resistance, then device passage through vasculature is improved, but the coating must be applied to the inner lumen surface which is difficult to access
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter itself serves as the delivery mechanism for its own coating. The coating solution is delivered through the catheter's inner lumen, utilizing the catheter's own structure to apply the coating to its inner surface, eliminating the need for external coating application equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating solution is nested within the catheter lumen during application. The liquid coating solution is delivered through the catheter and adheres to the inner luminal surface, creating a nested structure where the coating is contained within the catheter's lumen space.
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 coating significantly reduces friction and enhances the delivery of objects through the tube, minimizing blockages and adverse effects like pulmonary embolisms by improving the passage of devices like catheters and embolic particles.
Implementation Method 1
Lubricious coatings for medical device tubes and catheters may be used in order to enhance the performance of the tubes such that other devices that pass through the lumen of the tube will pass with reduced friction and resistance
Implementation Method 2
applying a pressure to the tube using a pressure source when the coating solution is within the tube to manipulate a surface tension between the coating solution and the inner lumen surface of the tube
Implementation Method 3
curing the coating solution such that it adheres to the inner lumen surface of the tube
Implementation Method 4
The inner lumen surface may be pre-treated with one or more of silanes, plasma, or corona plasma discharge, the one or more of silanes, plasma, or corona plasma acting as an adhesion promoters
Data Source
AI summary
A method for coating an inner lumen surface of a tube with a coating solution comprises the steps of moving a coating solution through a tube via a withdrawal system and depositing the coating solution onto an inner lumen surface of the tube. The thickness of the coating solution is deposited onto the inner lumen surface of the tube is between 1 μm and 25 μm. The method further comprises applying a pressure to the tube using a pressure source when the coating solution is within the tube to manipulate a surface tension between the coating solution and the inner lumen surface of the tube.