Magnetic Catheter Arrays for Vessel Coaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Forming a fistula between blood vessels is challenging due to difficulties in properly aligning and coapting catheters, which is essential for endovascular treatments like hemodialysis access, as existing methods require surgical dissection and are not always invasive or reliable.
Innovation Solution
The use of catheters equipped with proximal and distal magnetic arrays, each comprising magnetic segments with opposite polarities, to facilitate alignment and coaptation by generating tactile feedback through magnetic attraction and repulsion, ensuring precise alignment and coaptation of catheters within adjacent blood vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical dissection and transection methods are used for fistula formation, then reliable fistula connection is achieved, but invasiveness increases and procedural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical surgical dissection and transection methods with a magnetic alignment system. Magnets embedded in catheters create magnetic fields that guide and align catheter tips through vessel walls without requiring surgical cutting or dissection, thereby reducing invasiveness while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnets as an intermediary mechanism between catheter tips and vessel walls. These magnets serve as mediators that enable non-contact alignment and positioning, allowing fistula formation without direct mechanical contact or surgical intervention
2Measurement precision
If traditional alignment methods are used for catheter positioning, then procedural simplicity is maintained, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the catheter into functional segments with magnets positioned at specific locations (distal tip and proximal portion). This segmentation allows independent magnetic interaction zones that work together to achieve precise alignment while maintaining overall device manageability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes magnetic field parameters (strength, direction, polarity) to achieve precise catheter alignment. By controlling magnetic field characteristics rather than relying on mechanical positioning, the system achieves high alignment precision without proportionally increasing structural complexity
3Measurement precision
If magnetic alignment systems are implemented, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs magnets to serve multiple functions: alignment guidance, positioning stabilization, and tactile feedback generation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate alignment mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while maintaining high alignment precision
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
This approach provides improved alignment and coaptation of catheters, enabling more reliable and less invasive fistula formation by providing tactile feedback during alignment, thus ensuring accurate positioning and effective vascular treatment.
Implementation Method 1
facilitate alignment and coaptation by generating tactile feedback through magnetic attraction and repulsion
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter for endovascular treatment of a blood vessel includes a treatment portion, a proximal magnetic array positioned proximal to the treatment portion, and a distal magnetic array positioned distal to the treatment portion. Each of the proximal magnetic array and the distal magnetic array include a first magnetic segment having a first polarity, and a second magnetic segment having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, wherein the second magnetic segment is disposed adjacent to the treatment portion.