Orbital Atherectomy Burr Layout for Tortuous Arterial Junctions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotational atherectomy devices face challenges in effectively treating stenotic lesions in blood vessels, particularly at junctions between larger and smaller arteries or in vessels with tortuous paths, leading to limited blood flow and potential tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A rotational atherectomy system with a torque-transmitting coil and abrasive burrs configured for orbital motion, designed to navigate through tortuous paths and efficiently remove stenotic lesions by increasing vessel compliance, utilizing a flexible drive shaft with helically wound filars and eccentric abrasive elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rotational atherectomy device with a rigid drive shaft is used, then the abrasive burr can effectively remove stenotic lesions, but the device cannot navigate through tortuous paths or reach junctions between larger and smaller arteries
Solution Approach 1:
The drive shaft is divided into multiple segments that can articulate relative to each other, allowing the device to navigate tortuous paths while maintaining the ability to transmit rotational torque to the abrasive burr for effective lesion removal
Solution Approach 2:
The drive shaft incorporates articulation joints that enable bending in multiple directions, transforming the rigid linear structure into a flexible multi-dimensional configuration that can adapt to complex vascular anatomy
2Ease of operation
If the drive shaft is made flexible to navigate tortuous paths, then the device can reach difficult arterial sites, but torque transmission to the abrasive burr becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The drive shaft employs dynamic articulation joints that can flex during navigation but lock or stiffen during rotation to ensure adequate torque transmission to the abrasive burr when engaged with the lesion
Solution Approach 2:
The drive shaft utilizes flexible yet torque-transmissive components that can bend to navigate tortuous paths while maintaining sufficient mechanical coupling to deliver rotational force to the abrasive burr
3Productivity
If the abrasive burr rotates at high speed, then stenotic lesions can be effectively removed, but vessel compliance is reduced and natural flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The atherectomy device is designed to remove only the necessary portion of stenotic lesions to restore adequate blood flow while preserving vessel compliance and avoiding excessive removal that would compromise natural vessel flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows adjustment of rotational speed and abrasion intensity to optimize lesion removal efficiency while maintaining vessel compliance by controlling the degree of tissue removal and avoiding over-treatment
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple abrasive elements are added to treat various arterial sites, then the device can handle more complex cases, but the device complexity and difficulty of operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The atherectomy device incorporates multiple abrasive elements with different characteristics on a single device, enabling it to treat various arterial sites and lesion types without requiring multiple separate devices, thereby maintaining ease of operation while expanding treatment capability
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 system enhances vessel compliance, restoring natural flexibility and improving blood flow, treating conditions such as erectile dysfunction, iliac artery disease, and claudication by effectively removing stenotic lesions across various arterial sites, including junctions, with the option for combined atherectomy and angioplasty procedures.
Implementation Method 1
a torque-transmitting coil of one or more filars that are helically wound around in a filar wind direction from a distal end to a proximal end
Implementation Method 2
one or more abrasive burrs fixedly mounted to a distal end portion of the torque-transmitting coil... configured to abrade the stenotic lesion
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of a rotational atherectomy device can remove (partially or completely) stenotic lesions in blood vessels by rotating one or more abrasive elements in an orbital path to abrade and breakdown the lesion. In particular implementations, multiple abrasive elements are arranged along a distal portion of a drive shaft with an improved configuration so as to facilitate both efficient navigation into vessels extending from the abdominal aorta such as the common iliac artery, the external iliac artery, the internal iliac artery, the profunda artery, the gluteal artery, and the pudental artery and effective orbital paths for abrading stenotic material in such vessels and junctions between such vessels.