Agent Delivery Device With Particle Separation and Fluid Propulsion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices for delivering therapeutic agents during endoscopic procedures face issues such as requiring multiple steps, inconsistent dosing, agent clogging, and difficulty in reaching deep treatment sites within the gastrointestinal tract.

Innovation Solution

A medical device with a housing, force applicator, and drive mechanism that separates agents into smaller particles using gears and levers, combined with a pressurized fluid system to deliver them through a lumen, ensuring consistent dosing and delivery to remote sites.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If mechanical systems are used to deliver hemostatic agent, then agent delivery can be achieved, but the system requires numerous steps or actuations and may not achieve desired delivery rate or dosage consistency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of steps or actuationsVSAvoiddosage consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The agent is divided into particles of specific size ranges (e.g., 10-50 micrometers) before delivery. This segmentation allows the agent to be delivered more efficiently through the catheter while maintaining consistent dosing, as the particle size control ensures uniform delivery characteristics and reduces clogging issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hemostatic agent is pre-loaded into the delivery device in a controlled manner, and the delivery system is pre-configured with specific particle size requirements. This preliminary preparation ensures that when delivery is initiated, the system can operate with fewer steps and achieve consistent dosing without requiring multiple actuations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If mechanical delivery systems are used, then agent can be delivered, but agent may clog portions of the delivery device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent delivery efficiencyVSAvoidclogging prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery device incorporates specific structural features at critical locations to prevent clogging. The lumen has optimized dimensions and surface characteristics that facilitate smooth particle flow, and the delivery catheter includes features that prevent particle accumulation at bends or connections, ensuring reliable delivery without clogging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system controls the physical parameters of the agent particles, specifically maintaining particle sizes within 10-50 micrometers. This parameter control ensures particles are small enough to pass through the delivery system without clogging but large enough to maintain effectiveness at the target site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Length of moving object

If conventional delivery methods are used, then agent can be delivered, but agent may not reach treatment site deep within GI tract

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery reach depthVSAvoidagent delivery reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a pressurized fluid delivery mechanism to propel the particle-containing solution through the catheter and into the target site. The pressurized delivery ensures the agent reaches deep within the GI tract reliably, overcoming the challenges of long delivery distances and complex anatomical pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

4Device complexity

If agent is delivered in original form, then delivery is simple, but dosing consistency is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent preparation complexityVSAvoiddosing consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The agent is segmented into particles with controlled size distribution (10-50 micrometers) as an integral part of the delivery system. This segmentation is achieved through controlled processing that ensures consistent particle sizes, which in turn ensures consistent dosing when the agent is delivered, without requiring complex external preparation steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 device achieves consistent and efficient delivery of therapeutic agents by separating them into smaller particles and propelling them through a lumen, reducing variation and ensuring accurate dosing at deep treatment sites.

Implementation Method 1

receiving a pressurized fluid to propel the particles through the lumen

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressurized fluid propulsion: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

a force applicator within the housing and adjacent the enclosure... for applying a force to the agent to separate the agent into particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical force application: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS20250325792A1Agent delivery device

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

A medical device comprising a housing defining at least one enclosure for storing agent in a first form, a force applicator within the housing and adjacent the enclosure, a drive mechanism for moving the agent toward the force applicator, wherein the force applicator defines a surface for applying a force to the agent to separate the agent into particles smaller than a size of the first form, and wherein the device defines a lumen for receiving the particles from the force applicator and for receiving a pressurized fluid to propel the particles through the lumen.