Radial Deployment Catheter with Telescoping Inner Tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cannula devices for intraparenchymal drug delivery in the brain and spinal cord are limited by their rigid outer components, which restrict movement to a single linear trajectory, making it difficult to access anatomical regions with distinct shapes and angles, requiring multiple insertions for effective therapeutic distribution.
Innovation Solution
A cannula and catheter system with a rigid outer sheath and a shape-set inner tube that can be telescopically adjusted, allowing for various shapes and orientations, coupled with a control system for precise control of the catheter's position and trajectory, enabling movement in angular trajectories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid outer sheath is used to maintain structural integrity, then the cannula can be inserted through tissue, but the cannula is restricted to a fixed linear trajectory and cannot adapt to angular trajectories
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple telescoping segments (outer sheath, inner tube, innermost member) that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the distal portion to change shape and angle while the proximal portion maintains structural integrity for insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter transitions from a static, fixed-shape structure to a dynamic, adjustable structure. The telescoping segments can extend and retract to change the catheter's trajectory in real-time, allowing adaptation to angular paths while maintaining rigidity when needed.
2Device complexity
If a fixed trajectory cannula is used, then the device structure is simple, but multiple insertions are required to reach different anatomical regions
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is designed to perform multiple functions: it can navigate linear trajectories like traditional cannulas, but also extend and angle to reach off-axis targets. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate insertion procedures, improving productivity while the telescoping mechanism keeps the overall structure relatively simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the inner tube is made less stiff than the outer sheath, then the inner tube can be shape-set to form various contours, but the inner tube requires a more complex nested structure
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter employs a nested tube structure where the inner tube is positioned within the outer sheath, and the innermost member is positioned within the inner tube. This nesting allows each layer to contribute to the overall functionality while maintaining a compact, manageable structure despite the increased adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A cannula and catheter system includes a cannula or catheter formed of an elongated body having a central lumen. The catheter has an outer sheath of rigid material. An inner tube is co-axially positioned within the outer sheath wherein the inner tube is made of a material that is less stiff than the outer sheath or wherein the outer sheath is more stiff or rigid than one or more sheaths, tubes or cannulas slidably nested within the outer sheath.