Medical Balloon with Nanomaterial-Filled Voids for Burst Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical balloons used in angioplasty procedures face challenges in maintaining high burst pressure and flexibility while navigating tortuous and narrow body passageways, and existing technologies do not effectively enhance these characteristics without compromising profile or flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A medical balloon with a void pattern on its exterior surface filled with nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, which enhances burst pressure and flexibility while maintaining a low profile, and can be formed using laser ablation and polymer composites to improve refolding and deflation properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the balloon wall is made thicker to increase burst pressure, then burst pressure is improved, but the balloon profile increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating voids at specific locations on the balloon exterior surface and filling them with nanomaterials. This localized reinforcement approach increases burst pressure in critical areas without requiring the entire balloon wall to be thicker, thereby maintaining a low profile and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes) with the balloon wall material. This composite structure provides enhanced burst pressure while maintaining the original balloon profile and flexibility characteristics, as the nanomaterials are inserted into voids rather than increasing overall wall thickness.
2Strength
If the balloon wall is made thicker to increase burst pressure, then burst pressure is improved, but flexibility and ease of navigation decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating voids at specific locations on the balloon exterior surface and filling them with nanomaterials. This localized reinforcement approach increases burst pressure in critical areas without requiring the entire balloon wall to be thicker, thereby maintaining a low profile and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes) with the balloon wall material. This composite structure provides enhanced burst pressure while maintaining the original balloon profile and flexibility characteristics, as the nanomaterials are inserted into voids rather than increasing overall wall thickness.
3Strength
If nanomaterial is added to enhance burst pressure, then burst pressure is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by creating voids in the balloon wall structure and filling them with nanomaterials. This approach provides a straightforward method for incorporating reinforcement without significantly complicating the overall device structure, as the nanomaterials are simply inserted into pre-formed voids.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes) with the balloon wall material. This composite structure provides enhanced burst pressure while maintaining the original balloon profile and flexibility characteristics, as the nanomaterials are inserted into voids rather than increasing overall wall thickness.
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 nanomaterial-filled balloon achieves a high burst pressure of at least 10 atm with improved flexibility and a low profile, facilitating easier navigation and deployment in body lumens while maintaining biocompatibility and potential therapeutic agent delivery.
Implementation Method 1
The void can be formed, for example, by ablation (e.g., laser ablation)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to medical balloons, and methods of modifying said balloons by forming a void pattern in their exterior surfaces and filling the voids with a material, such as a fiber or a nanomaterial (e.g., nanotubes, such as carbon nanotubes) and a matrix material, e.g., a polymer.