Medical Device Electrode Nesting for Narrow Lumen Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for ablation treatments face challenges in reducing their diameter to accommodate narrow biological lumens while effectively ablating a wide area.
Innovation Solution
The medical device features an electrode portion that does not protrude radially, allowing for a reduced diameter and enabling insertion into narrow lumens. The electrode is curved in the radial direction, facilitating effective ablation over a wide area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the electrode is located outside the tube body in the radial direction, then the electrode can effectively ablate tissue, but the device diameter increases making it difficult to insert into narrow lumens
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is nested inside the tube body rather than being positioned outside. The insulating layer is disposed between the conductor and the tube body, allowing the electrode structure to be contained within the tube body's cross-sectional area, thereby reducing the overall device diameter while maintaining ablation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode structure utilizes the axial dimension (length direction of the tube) to achieve its functional positioning. By extending the conductor axially within the tube body and using the insulating layer for radial separation, the design transforms a radial placement problem into an axial arrangement, reducing the device's radial footprint.
2Area of stationary object
If the electrode portion is curved in the radial direction, then a wide area can be ablated effectively, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode portion is designed with a curved shape in the radial direction, allowing it to conform to the cylindrical geometry of the tube body and expand into a three-dimensional configuration that covers a wider ablation area. This curvature enables the electrode to effectively treat tissue across a broader spatial region.
3Length of stationary object
If the device diameter is reduced for insertion into narrow lumens, then the device can access difficult locations, but the ablation area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structure is designed to be dynamic in its configuration. The curved electrode portion can expand radially within the constrained tube body, allowing the device to maintain a compact profile for insertion while achieving a larger functional ablation area when deployed inside the lumen.
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 design allows for the insertion of the medical device into narrow biological lumens and enables effective ablation of a wide area, improving the device's versatility and efficacy in treatments such as pulmonary vein isolation.
Implementation Method 1
a device that performs an irreversible electroporation (IRE) treatment is known. The irreversible electroporation has attracted attention since the treatment is non-thermal and can suppress damage to surrounding blood vessels or nerves.
Data Source
Figure 1~2(B)
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Provided is a medical device that can be inserted into a tapered body lumen, and can effectively ablate a wide range. A medical device (10) comprises: an elongated shaft section (20); a plurality of electrically independent electrode sections (40) that are arranged at a distal end section of the shaft section (20), extend along the length direction of the shaft section (20), and can be deformed in the radial direction of the shaft section (20); and a plurality of electrically independent electroconductors (50) that are each provided with embedded sections (52) embedded in the shaft section (20) and that pass a current to the electrode sections (40). At least one electroconductor (50) has a projecting section (51) that projects out from a distal end surface (25) of the shaft section (20) and that is connected to an electrode section (40).