Magnetic Collection Wire for Small Stone Fragment Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional devices fail to effectively capture and remove small stone fragments and debris left after lithotripsy procedures due to their inability to attract and retain very small fragments within the patient's anatomy.
Innovation Solution
A medical device featuring a collection wire with a distal end comprising intertwined filaments forming a fibrous structure, which can be coated with magnetic or nanofunctional molecules to attract and retain stone fragments, and an optional expandable basket for containment, allowing for efficient retrieval of small fragments and debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional stone baskets are used to remove stone fragments, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to capture very small fragments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the purely mechanical capture mechanism of conventional stone baskets with a magnetic field-based attraction system. The collection wire incorporates magnetic particles or is coated with magnetic material, enabling it to attract and capture stone fragments through magnetic forces rather than relying solely on mechanical entanglement or physical barriers. This substitution significantly enhances the capture capability for very small fragments while maintaining a relatively simple wire-based structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The collection wire is constructed using composite materials, specifically a wire core combined with magnetic particles or magnetic coating layers. This composite structure integrates the mechanical strength of the wire with the magnetic attraction properties of the magnetic material, enabling both structural integrity and enhanced fragment capture capability. The use of composite materials allows the device to achieve improved performance without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
2Reliability
If stone fragments are not completely removed after lithotripsy, then the procedure is simpler, but future stone formation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic attraction mechanism enables more complete fragment removal by actively attracting small fragments to the collection wire, rather than relying on passive mechanical capture. This increases the reliability of complete fragment removal, reducing the risk of future stone formation from residual fragments.
Solution Approach 2:
The collection wire features localized magnetic properties at its distal end, where the magnetic particles or coating are concentrated. This local quality enhancement creates a focused zone of magnetic attraction precisely where fragment capture is needed most, improving removal completeness without requiring the entire device structure to be complex.
3Quantity of substance
If a magnetic or nanofunctional coating is applied to the collection wire, then the attraction and retention of stone fragments is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes in the form of applying magnetic coatings or incorporating magnetic particles into the wire structure during manufacturing. By controlling parameters such as particle concentration, coating thickness, and magnetic material properties, the fragment attraction capability can be optimized. These manufacturing processes, while adding some complexity, utilize established coating and composite material techniques that are relatively straightforward to implement.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of composite materials with magnetic properties integrated into the collection wire provides a manufacturing approach that combines the wire formation process with magnetic material incorporation. This can be achieved through methods such as coating the wire with magnetic material or embedding magnetic particles during wire fabrication, leveraging existing composite material manufacturing techniques to manage complexity.
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 device effectively captures and removes small stone fragments and debris by utilizing magnetic or nanofunctional coatings to attract and retain them, facilitating reliable removal and reducing the need for subsequent procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of tips is that are configured to attract stone fragments from the patient's anatomy and comprises at least one of: i) a magnetic outer surface
Implementation Method 2
a nanofunctional molecule bonded to an outer surface
Data Source
Figure 1A~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
A medical device for retrieving small fragments from within a patient's anatomy includes a collection wire configured for entering the patient's anatomy. The collection wire includes a distal end with a plurality of tips that are configured to attract stone fragments from the patient's anatomy.