Retractable Wire Guide Extension Catheter for Coronary Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current intracorporeal medical devices face challenges in maintaining stable positioning within coronary arteries during minimally-invasive cardiac interventions, particularly due to shifting guide catheters caused by heart movement or other factors, which can hinder access to the coronary arteries.

Innovation Solution

A guide extension catheter with a retractable wire and a collapsible secondary lumen is introduced, allowing the catheter to extend beyond the distal end of the guide catheter into the coronary artery, stabilizing its position and enabling improved access by using the retractable wire to cross lesions and then retracting to maximize the inner pathway for therapeutic devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a guide catheter is used to access coronary arteries, then access to the coronary artery is achieved, but the guide catheter position becomes unstable due to heart movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter positioning stabilityVSAvoidcatheter position stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The guide extension catheter incorporates a retractable wire that can dynamically extend and retract based on procedural needs. The wire extends to provide stability when crossing lesions and retracts to maximize the inner pathway for therapeutic devices, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements and maintain stability throughout the procedure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The guide extension catheter is divided into functional segments: a proximal shaft, a distal sheath, and a retractable wire. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the proximal shaft provides structural support, the distal sheath extends into the coronary artery for stability, and the retractable wire provides additional stabilization when needed without compromising the overall catheter structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the guide catheter is extended into the coronary artery to improve positioning, then catheter stability is improved, but the inner pathway becomes constricted preventing larger therapeutic devices from passing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter position stabilityVSAvoidtherapeutic device passage
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The retractable wire provides dynamic adjustment of the inner pathway. When the wire is retracted into the proximal shaft, it maximizes the available space within the guide extension catheter, allowing larger therapeutic devices to pass through without restriction. When extended, it provides stability for crossing lesions, demonstrating the dynamic adaptation between stability and accessibility requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If a retractable wire is extended to cross lesions, then access to constricted areas is improved, but the inner pathway for therapeutic devices is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelesion crossing capabilityVSAvoidtherapeutic device passage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The retractable wire serves as a dynamic element that can be extended when lesion crossing is required and retracted when therapeutic device passage is needed. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt between different operational modes - providing lesion crossing capability when the wire is extended and maximizing therapeutic device access when the wire is retracted

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The retractable wire is extended in advance to cross lesions and establish access to constricted areas before therapeutic devices are introduced. This preliminary action ensures that the pathway is cleared and accessible, allowing subsequent therapeutic devices to be advanced through the now-retracted wire configuration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2961458B1Guide extension catheter with a retractable wire
Publication Date: 2018.01.10 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC
  • EP2961458B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2961458B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2961458B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a guide extension catheter with a retractable wire. The guide extension catheter may include a proximal shaft having a first outer diameter. The guide extension catheter may further include a distal sheath attached to the proximal shaft and having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter. Further, the distal sheath may have a central lumen defined therein and a secondary lumen formed along a wall surface of the distal sheath.