Bifurcated Vessel Stenting Catheter with Linked Balloons
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter systems for stenting bifurcated vessels face challenges in maintaining stent placement and preventing premature dislodgement during angioplasty, particularly at vessel bifurcations, where precise alignment and deployment of stents are critical.
Innovation Solution
A catheter system comprising a first and second balloon catheter with a linking device that holds them in a side-by-side configuration, allowing for advanced deployment as a unit and featuring steerable guidewires to guide the balloons within blood vessels, along with an optional flexible tubular extension for a low-profile tandem configuration, which helps prevent stent dislodgement and facilitates smoother stent crimping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a catheter system uses separate balloon catheters for stenting bifurcated vessels, then the system provides flexibility in deployment, but the risk of premature stent dislodgement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple balloon catheters into a single integrated catheter system with a common shaft and multiple balloons positioned at different locations. This merging approach maintains deployment flexibility while preventing premature stent dislodgement through unified support and controlled expansion timing.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter system pre-positions multiple balloons and stents in a configured arrangement before deployment. The balloons are positioned in advance to provide support and prevent stent dislodgement during the stenting procedure, while allowing sequential or simultaneous expansion as needed.
2Reliability
If the catheter system uses a complex configuration to prevent stent dislodgement, then stent placement reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system employs a multi-functional design where a single catheter shaft performs multiple functions: supporting multiple balloons, delivering stents, providing structural stability, and enabling controlled deployment. This universal approach improves stent placement reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If the catheter system uses a bulky configuration to ensure stent support, then stent deployment stability improves, but the crossing profile becomes less smooth
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system employs a nested configuration where balloons, stents, and support structures are arranged concentrically within a compact catheter shaft. This nesting approach provides adequate structural support for stable stent deployment while maintaining a slim crossing profile that can navigate through vascular access routes.
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter system and method are described for stenting a vessel at a bifurcation or sidebranch of the vessel. The catheter system includes a first balloon catheter, a second balloon catheter and a releasable linking device for holding the first and second balloon catheters arranged in a side-by-side configuration and aligned with one another along a longitudinal axis so that the catheter system can be advanced as a unit. The catheter system is combined with drug eluting technology to prevent restenosis, inflammation and/or thrombosis and/or to promote reendothelialization in the vessel bifurcation. The main vessel stent and/or the sidebranch stent may be coated or impregnated with one or more drugs or bioactive substances. Alternatively or in addition, the first balloon and/or the second balloon may be coated with or include a mechanism for delivering one or more drugs or bioactive substances to the vessel wall.