Rotatable Thrombus Engagement Tool with Helical Thread
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thrombectomy procedures face challenges such as excessive blood loss and inability to capture a broad spectrum of thrombus types, leading to prolonged procedures and increased risk of bleeding complications.
Innovation Solution
A clot capture module with a housing, clot capture chamber, and filter visible through a window, which directs incoming blood against the filter's upstream surface and allows for visual inspection of the clot. The module includes an aspiration control valve and an outgoing flow path to a remote vacuum canister, along with a thrombus engagement tool featuring a rotatable core wire with a helical thread tip for engaging thrombus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large diameter thrombectomy catheter is used to aspirate thrombus, then the ability to capture thrombus is improved, but blood loss increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple lumens: a central lumen for thrombus aspiration and an outer annular lumen for blood flow. This segmentation allows selective aspiration of thrombus while maintaining blood flow through the annular space, reducing overall blood loss during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The aspiration port is localized at the distal tip of the catheter, creating a high-velocity jet that selectively entrains thrombus material. The local high-velocity flow at the tip enables effective thrombus capture while the overall catheter design maintains blood flow through other pathways, minimizing systemic blood loss.
2Loss of substance
If a smaller diameter catheter is used to reduce blood loss, then blood loss is reduced, but the ability to access distal vessels and capture thrombus is diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter employs multiple lumens with different functions: the central lumen provides a smaller profile for distal access while the outer annular lumen provides additional flow capacity. This segmented structure allows the catheter to navigate distal vessels effectively while maintaining sufficient aspiration and blood flow capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter transitions from a single-lumen design to a multi-lumen design, adding a spatial dimension to fluid flow management. The annular lumen surrounding the central lumen creates concentric flow paths, enabling simultaneous thrombus aspiration through the central lumen and blood flow through the annular space, thus accessing distal vessels effectively while controlling blood loss.
3Quantity of substance
If the catheter tip is exposed to healthy blood during aspiration, then thrombus can be captured, but full flow of blood through the catheter causes excessive blood loss
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter separates blood flow and thrombus aspiration into distinct lumens. The central lumen is positioned to aspirate thrombus while the outer annular lumen allows healthy blood to flow through, preventing the catheter tip from becoming occluded by thrombus and reducing excessive blood loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular lumen acts as an intermediary pathway for blood flow, allowing healthy blood to bypass the thrombus aspiration zone. This intermediary flow path prevents the catheter tip from being overwhelmed by blood flow while maintaining effective thrombus capture through the central lumen.
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 clot capture module effectively reduces blood loss during thrombectomy by containing the clot within the filter chamber and allowing for controlled aspiration, while the thrombus engagement tool enhances the ability to capture and remove thrombi of various types.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum-assisted thrombectomy systems
Implementation Method 2
aspiration thrombectomy
Implementation Method 3
a filter in the clot chamber
Implementation Method 4
thrombus engagement tool featuring a rotatable core wire with a helical thread tip for engaging thrombus
Data Source
AI summary
A thrombus engagement tool having a flexible shaft, a clot engagement tip, and a handle. The engagement tip may include one or more radially outwardly extending structures such as a helical thread. The helical thread can be advanced through a catheter to engage a clot. The handle may be configured to be rotated by hand. When the handle is rotated, the helical thread of the engagement tip can rotate in the same direction thereby allowing the helical threat to engage the clot. The helical thread can wrap around the flexible shaft at least about one, two, or four or more full revolutions, but in some cases no more than about ten or no more than about six revolutions.