Microwave Ablation Safety Pad with Faraday Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microwave ablation procedures face risks of physical, thermal, and electrical contact with healthy tissue due to overshooting during percutaneous insertion and the delivery of microwave energy, leading to potential damage, especially in sensitive areas like the vascular, respiratory, and digestive systems.
Innovation Solution
A multilayer microwave ablation safety pad comprising a base layer for thermal absorption, an electromagnetic shielding layer using a Faraday shield to block electromagnetic fields, and a physical protection layer to prevent penetration, along with a ground connection to manage thermal and electrical interference, ensuring protection during tissue insertion, energy delivery, and resection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If percutaneous insertion of microwave energy delivery device is used to access target tissue, then minimally invasive treatment is achieved, but risk of overshooting into adjacent healthy tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
A safety pad is introduced as an intermediary barrier between the microwave energy delivery device and adjacent healthy tissue. The pad includes a physical protection layer that prevents direct contact, an electromagnetic shielding layer that blocks microwave energy, and a base layer that manages thermal energy, thereby protecting healthy tissue while allowing the percutaneous procedure to proceed
Solution Approach 2:
The safety pad is positioned in advance between the target tissue and adjacent healthy tissue before the microwave energy delivery device is inserted. This pre-positioned protective barrier cushions against potential overshooting during insertion and subsequent energy delivery, preventing damage before it can occur
2Power
If microwave energy is delivered to target tissue adjacent to healthy tissue, then effective ablation is achieved, but thermal heating and electrical interference transfer additional heat outside the desired target area
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnetic shielding layer, comprising a Faraday shield, acts as an intermediary that blocks microwave electromagnetic fields from reaching healthy tissue. The base layer serves as a thermal intermediary that absorbs and dissipates heat, preventing thermal conduction to adjacent healthy tissue while allowing full microwave energy delivery to the target
Solution Approach 2:
The base layer converts the harmful thermal energy that would otherwise damage healthy tissue into a manageable thermal field by using thermally conductive materials to dissipate heat away from the healthy tissue interface, thereby transforming potential harm into controlled thermal management
3Productivity
If multiple or repeated insertions of microwave energy delivery device are performed, then complete resection is achieved, but the potential risk of damaging adjacent tissue is exasperated
Solution Approach 1:
The safety pad is positioned in advance and remains in place during multiple insertions, providing continuous protective cushioning against each insertion attempt. This eliminates the need to reposition protective measures between insertions, maintaining consistent protection while enabling complete resection through multiple device placements
Solution Approach 2:
The safety pad serves multiple functions simultaneously: it protects against physical contact during insertion, blocks electromagnetic fields during energy delivery, and manages thermal energy. This multi-functionality allows it to protect against all potential hazards from multiple insertions with a single device placement
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
Effectively isolates healthy tissue from the microwave energy delivery device and electromagnetic fields, preventing unwanted heat transfer and physical contact, thereby reducing the risk of damage to adjacent tissues during procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The base layer is configured to support a cooling medium designed to absorb thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
The electromagnetic shielding layer, adjacent the base layer, includes a faraday shield configured to prevent the transmission of electromagnetic fields
Implementation Method 3
The cooling medium of the base layer may include a cooling fluid or a thermoelectric cooling system
Data Source
AI summary
A microwave ablation safety pad includes a base layer, an electromagnetic shielding layer and a physical protection layer. The base layer is configured to support a cooling medium designed to absorb thermal energy. The electromagnetic shielding layer, adjacent the base layer, includes a faraday shield configured to prevent the generation of electromagnetic fields. The physical protection layer, adjacent the electromagnetic shielding layer, is configured to resist penetration therethrough.