Knudsen-Effect Catheter Vacuum Insulation Heat Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing endovascular cooling catheters are limited by their size, lack of organ specificity, and inability to integrate with adjunctive therapies, leading to inefficiencies in cooling small arteries and potential vascular complications.

Innovation Solution

A Knudsen-Effect catheter with a flexible, atraumatic distal section and concentric pathway configuration, featuring an insulative shaft with a vacuum-enhanced annular space to minimize heat transfer, allowing for rapid localized cooling and passage of microcatheters and therapeutic agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a fixed or static cooling catheter is placed inside a stagnant or moving body fluid using passive transport enhancement techniques, then the cooling effectiveness is improved by adding surface area and inducing turbulence, but the blood side flow resistance increases substantially affecting cardiac output and organ perfusion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidblood side flow resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter employs an expandable balloon that can be inflated and deflated dynamically. When inflated, the balloon expands to increase the cooling surface area in contact with the vessel wall, enhancing heat transfer effectiveness. When deflated, the balloon retracts to minimize obstruction to blood flow, reducing side flow resistance. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize cooling performance while mitigating harmful effects on perfusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling system utilizes periodic inflation and deflation cycles of the balloon. During inflation phases, cooling surface area is maximized for effective heat removal. During deflation phases, blood flow resistance is minimized. This periodic action allows the system to achieve adequate cooling while maintaining acceptable perfusion levels throughout the treatment period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the catheter is designed to allow passage of microcatheters and guidewires through concentric pathways, then the adaptability for adjunctive therapies is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration with endovascular toolsVSAvoidconcentric pathway configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter features a nested concentric pathway configuration where an inner lumen is positioned within an outer lumen. The inner lumen allows passage of microcatheters, guidewires, and other endovascular tools, while the outer lumen provides structural support and additional fluid delivery pathways. This nesting arrangement enables multiple functions and tool passages without requiring separate catheters, thereby improving adaptability while managing complexity through integrated design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If the inner lumen is positioned eccentrically within the outer lumen, then the ease of insertion is improved, but the heat transfer efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of insertionVSAvoidheat transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The balloon's inflation capability provides dynamic adjustment of the inner lumen's position. During insertion, the balloon remains deflated, allowing the catheter to navigate vessels easily with reduced profile. Once positioned, inflation of the balloon centers the inner lumen within the outer lumen, optimizing the annular space for heat transfer. This dynamic transition from eccentric (insertion) to centered (operational) configuration resolves the contradiction between ease of insertion and heat transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Enables deep cooling of ischemic organs below 32°C without significant blood perfusion reduction or vessel damage, enhancing compatibility with endovascular tools and therapies.

Implementation Method 1

an insulative shaft with a vacuum-enhanced annular space to minimize heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum insulation: Vacuum

Implementation Method 2

an insulative shaft with a vacuum-enhanced annular space to minimize heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Implementation Method 3

Enables deep cooling of ischemic organs below 32°C without significant blood perfusion reduction or vessel damage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11806484B2Catheter with heat transfer minimizing annular space

Publication Date: 2023.11.07 FOCALCOOL LLC

AI summary

A catheter configured to provide a delivery system for standard interventional devices and for rapid localized deep cooling to organs at risk of ischemia-reperfusion injury during procedures such as intracranial thrombectomy or emergency thrombectomy. The catheter is comprised of an insulative shaft with a multi-component braided outer lumen and an internal floating inner lumen with a plurality of structures configured to minimize contact and resulting heat transfer between the two lumens.