Integrated Dilator-Capillary Structure for Safer Catheter Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Seldinger technique for central venous catheter insertion requires multiple medical devices and is time-consuming, prone to errors, and can cause vein wall injuries due to unintentional movements of the cannula or guidewire.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with a flexible capillary section and dimensionally stable dilator section, allowing sequential use for vein puncture, guidewire insertion, and channel dilation, minimizing vein wall injuries and enhancing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate medical devices are used for catheter insertion, then the insertion process can be completed with established techniques, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate medical devices (cannula, guidewire, dilator) into a single integrated device. The integrated device includes a cannula portion, a guidewire portion, and a dilator portion all connected in series, allowing the practitioner to perform vein puncture, guidewire insertion, and channel dilation in one continuous motion without exchanging devices, thereby reducing insertion time and procedural errors
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated medical device performs multiple functions: the cannula portion creates the initial puncture channel, the guidewire portion provides a pathway for the catheter, and the dilator portion widens the channel. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate devices while maintaining the effectiveness of each individual function
2Productivity
If a rigid dilator is used to widen the puncture channel, then the channel can be effectively dilated, but vein wall injuries may occur due to unintentional movements
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates different material properties in different sections: the cannula and guidewire portions are made of flexible materials to conform to and protect the vein wall, while the dilator portion is made of a more rigid material to effectively widen the channel. This localized differentiation of material properties allows effective dilation while minimizing vein wall injury
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the physical parameters (material rigidity, flexibility) along its length to match the requirements of different procedural stages. The flexible proximal sections protect the vein during insertion, while the rigid distal dilator section provides effective channel widening when needed
3Reliability
If the guidewire is inserted through the cannula, then venous access is established, but the vein wall can be injured by unintentional movements of the cannula or guidewire
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula and guidewire are merged into a single flexible integrated structure that moves as one unit during insertion. This eliminates the risk of relative movement between separate components that could injure the vein wall, while still establishing reliable venous access through the coordinated action of the cannula portion and guidewire portion
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
Facilitates efficient and safe catheter placement by reducing device-related injuries and simplifying the insertion process.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible design of the capillary segment prevents injury to the vein wall during unintentional movement of the medical device
Implementation Method 2
the puncture channel can be widened by the action of the dilator segment
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a medical device for use in catheter placement, comprising a longitudinal axis (L), a capillary section (2) extending coaxially to the longitudinal axis (L) between a proximal capillary end (21) and a distal capillary end (22), and having a flexible design and a capillary outer diameter (23), a dilator section (3) extending coaxially to the longitudinal axis (L) between a proximal dilator end (31) and a distal dilator end (32) axially adjacent to the proximal capillary end (21), and having a dimensionally stable design and a dilator outer diameter (33) that is at least partially larger than the capillary outer diameter (23), and a lumen (4).which extends longitudinally coaxially to the longitudinal axis (L) between the proximal dilator end (31) and the distal capillary end (22) through the dilator section (3) and the capillary section (2) and is designed to receive a cannula (7).