Medical Delivery Device Segmented Sidewall Slitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical delivery devices, such as catheters and sheaths, face challenges in removing the device from the venous system without dislodging the implanted medical device, especially when the proximal portion is too large to fit within the lumen and requires slitting through kink-resistant sidewalls, which can be difficult and prone to spiraling cuts.
Innovation Solution
The development of delivery devices with kink-resistant, stiff sidewalls that accommodate slitting, featuring interlocking grooves and protrusions for adequate stiffness and flexibility, and a lubricious coating or inherently lubricious materials to facilitate smooth device passage and slitting, allowing for easy removal after implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the catheter/sheath sidewall is constructed to provide kink resistance and adequate torque and push transfer, then the device can be steered to the target site, but slitting with special tools becomes challenging and may cause spiraling cuts
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall is segmented into two distinct zones: a reinforced zone with braided construction providing kink resistance and torque transfer, and a slitting zone with a less dense braid pattern that facilitates easy cutting. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the sidewall have different braid densities and material properties. The slitting zone has a less dense braid pattern making it easier to cut, while the reinforced zone has a denser braid for mechanical strength. This local variation in quality enables both functions to coexist.
2Length of moving object
If the catheter/sheath is made relatively long to reach distant target sites, then the delivery capability is improved, but it becomes difficult to pull the catheter/sheath against the cutting edge along a straight line
Solution Approach 1:
The long catheter is divided into functional segments, with the slitting zone positioned at a specific location to facilitate controlled cutting. This segmentation allows the long catheter to maintain straightness during cutting by providing a dedicated zone optimized for the cutting action.
Solution Approach 2:
The slitting zone is pre-positioned and pre-configured with a less dense braid pattern before the catheter is inserted into the patient. This preliminary preparation ensures that when cutting is needed, the catheter is already optimized for straight-line cutting, eliminating the need for complex maneuvers during the procedure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the proximal portion of the medical device is made large for better control and functionality, then the device performance is improved, but it cannot fit within the delivery lumen and requires device removal
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is segmented into the delivery catheter and the implantable device. The implantable device can have a large proximal portion for control and functionality, while the delivery catheter provides a narrow lumen for insertion. After delivery, the catheter is cut and removed, leaving the functional device in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery catheter is extracted from the body after the implantable device has been delivered and positioned. The cutting feature enables clean separation of the catheter from the implanted device, allowing removal of the catheter while leaving the functional device in place.
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 solution enables efficient and controlled removal of medical devices from the venous system without dislodging the implanted device, ensuring precise slitting and minimizing the risk of spiraling cuts, while maintaining direct contact with the implanted device.
Implementation Method 1
a lubricious coating or inherently lubricious materials to facilitate smooth device passage and slitting
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery device includes an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall extending therein. An outer surface of the inner sidewall defines a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves, each of which interlock with a corresponding inward protruding member of a plurality of longitudinally extending inward protruding members defined by an inner surface of the outer sidewall. A longitudinally extending lumen of the device, which may accommodate delivery of an implantable medical device, is defined, at least in part, by the inner surface of the inner sidewall. A slitting zone of the device, for example, provided by one of the sidewalls extending less than 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the device, enables removal of the delivery device from around the delivered device.