Nested Catheter System with Hydrophilic Coatings for Stroke Thrombectomy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) by thrombectomy or embolectomy in the internal carotid artery face challenges due to the tortuous and small vessel size of the vasculature, leading to prolonged procedures and inefficiency in navigating and removing occlusions.
Innovation Solution
A catheter system comprising an outer catheter and an inner catheter, where the inner catheter includes a hypotube with a pusher wire and hydrophilic coatings to facilitate navigation and lubricity, allowing for enhanced tracking and aspiration of occlusions within the vasculature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single catheter is used for navigation and thrombectomy, then the device structure is simple, but the procedure time is prolonged due to difficulty in navigating tortuous vasculature
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system is divided into an outer catheter and an inner catheter that can be independently manipulated. The inner catheter can be advanced through the outer catheter to navigate tortuous vasculature, while the outer catheter provides support and stability. This segmentation allows each catheter to be optimized for specific functions, reducing overall procedure time despite increased structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner catheter is nested within the outer catheter, allowing the inner catheter to be advanced through the outer catheter's lumen. This nested configuration enables the inner catheter to reach distal locations in tortuous vessels while the outer catheter remains positioned more proximally, facilitating efficient navigation without requiring complete catheter exchange.
2Ease of operation
If the catheter is made more flexible to navigate tortuous vessels, then navigation ease is improved, but catheter stability and control are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The outer catheter is constructed with varying degrees of flexibility along its length, with the distal portion being more flexible to navigate tortuous vessels and the proximal portion being stiffer to provide stability and control. This local variation in mechanical properties allows the catheter to simultaneously achieve navigation ease and operational stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter system separates navigation functions (performed by the flexible inner catheter) from support functions (performed by the stiffer outer catheter). This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the inner catheter providing navigation ease and the outer catheter providing stability and control.
3Ease of operation
If lubricious coatings are applied to reduce friction, then navigation through vasculature is improved, but coating durability and catheter performance consistency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter employs coatings with varying friction characteristics at different locations and depths. The outer surface of the outer catheter has one friction characteristic, the inner surface of the outer catheter has another, and the outer surface of the inner catheter has a third. This parameter variation optimizes navigation through different vascular segments while maintaining performance consistency through controlled coating application.
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 catheter system improves the efficiency and efficacy of thrombectomy procedures by reducing the time required to remove occlusions, allowing for more efficient navigation and aspiration, thus potentially improving patient outcomes by minimizing the time to restore blood flow.
Implementation Method 1
The first hydrophilic coating is located on the outer surface of the outer catheter and is configured to reduce surface friction and increase lubricity between the outer surface of the outer catheter and a vessel wall
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure includes a catheter system comprising an inner catheter and an outer catheter configured to at least partially receive the inner catheter. In some embodiments, the inner catheter comprises a proximal hub, a distal portion, and a pusher wire extending between the proximal hub and the distal portion. The distal portion of the inner catheter may comprise a hypotube. In some embodiments, the inner surface of the hypotube is coated with a lubricious coating.