Insulated High-Voltage Catheters to Prevent Arcing in Tissue Pulsing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices fail to safely and effectively deliver high-voltage, short electrical pulses for treating tissues like cancer cells without causing harm, such as arcing or internal organ damage, due to the risks associated with high-voltage energy delivery during minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
Development of catheters and endoscopes with retractable electrodes and insulating regions that can deliver sub-microsecond electrical pulses with high peak voltages, integrated into robotic systems for precise and safe application of therapeutic energy, minimizing tissue damage and avoiding thermal effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-voltage electrical pulses are delivered through catheters to treat diseased tissue, then therapeutic effect on cancer cells is improved, but risk of tissue damage and arcing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into distinct functional segments: retractable electrodes for controlled tissue contact, insulating regions to prevent unwanted discharge, and conductive elements for targeted energy delivery. This segmentation allows high-voltage pulses to be delivered safely by isolating different functional zones.
Solution Approach 2:
Insulating material acts as an intermediary between the high-voltage electrical pulses and surrounding tissues, preventing harmful arcing and energy dispersion. The insulator mediates the interaction by containing the electrical field within the intended treatment zone while protecting adjacent healthy tissues.
2Manufacturing precision
If retractable electrodes are used to deliver high-voltage pulses, then precision of energy delivery is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrodes are designed to be retractable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adjustment of electrode position and exposure. This enables the device to transition between different operational states (retracted for safety/navigation, extended for treatment) and adapts to varying treatment requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The retractable electrode structure employs a nested configuration where electrodes are housed within the catheter body and can be deployed outward as needed. This nesting approach compactly integrates multiple functional elements (electrodes, insulators, conductors) within the catheter's limited space.
3Reliability
If sub-microsecond pulse duration is used, then selective apoptosis in diseased tissue is improved, but energy control requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment employs periodic pulsed electrical fields with sub-microsecond duration rather than continuous energy delivery. This periodic action allows precise control of energy exposure, delivering high-voltage pulses only during brief intervals to induce apoptosis while minimizing total energy deposition and thermal effects.
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 solution enables selective apoptosis in diseased tissue while preserving normal cells, ensuring safe and effective treatment of various disorders, including cancer, by using flexible and insulated catheters that can withstand high voltages and deliver precise, non-thermal energy pulses.
Implementation Method 1
deliver high-voltage, fast (e.g., microsecond, nanosecond, picosecond, etc.) electrical energy to target tissue
Implementation Method 2
a flexible insulating material having a dielectric strength sufficient to withstand 1 kV or more
Data Source
AI summary
Flexible catheters adapted to be inserted into a body to deliver high-voltage, fast (e.g., microsecond, sub-microsecond, nanosecond, picosecond, etc.) electrical energy to target tissue may include a plurality of conductive layers, that may be coaxial. These catheters and method of using them to treat tissue are configured to reduce or avoid arcing.