Rotating Endoluminal Lasing System for Uniform Vessel Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive vascular treatments face challenges in maintaining optical fiber centering within veins, leading to inefficient energy deposition and increased risk of vein perforation due to vein tortuosity and adherence issues, resulting in incomplete vein closure and potential complications.
Innovation Solution
A rotating endoluminal lasing system with a spiral radiation pattern and motorized mechanism to prevent adherence and ensure uniform energy delivery, using an optical fiber with off-axis or radial emitting ends, which spins during withdrawal to maintain precise contact with the vessel wall and apply energy uniformly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If optical fiber is used for endoluminal vessel treatment, then minimally invasive treatment is achieved, but optical fiber centering within veins is difficult due to vein tortuosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotating optical fiber delivery system that creates a spiral radiation pattern, transforming the linear optical fiber into a rotational curvilinear path. This curvature allows the fiber to adapt to vein tortuosity while maintaining consistent energy delivery to the vessel wall, resolving the centering difficulty without compromising the minimally invasive approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic rotation of the optical fiber during withdrawal, converting a static centering problem into a dynamic solution. The rotational motion compensates for vein tortuosity and maintains effective energy delivery even when the fiber is not perfectly centered, thereby maintaining treatment efficacy while preserving minimal invasiveness.
2Reliability
If optical fiber is withdrawn during irradiation to treat vein length, then complete vein closure is achieved, but adherence between fiber and vessel wall causes incomplete treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies rotational motion to the optical fiber during withdrawal, creating a dynamic separation between the fiber surface and the vessel wall. This rotational movement prevents static adherence and ensures continuous energy delivery to the entire vessel circumference, enabling complete vein closure while maintaining smooth fiber withdrawal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic rotation of the optical fiber during the withdrawal process, ensuring that all segments of the vessel wall receive adequate energy exposure. This periodic rotational action compensates for any localized adherence events and guarantees complete treatment coverage, achieving reliable vein closure without operational difficulties.
3Manufacturing precision
If optical fiber spins during withdrawal, then uniform energy delivery is achieved, but device complexity increases due to motorized rotation mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex motorized rotation mechanisms with a simpler optical coupling system. The optical fiber is rotationally coupled to the laser source, allowing the fiber itself to rotate during withdrawal without requiring external motors or complex drive mechanisms. This substitution maintains uniform energy delivery while significantly reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the optical fiber to rotate itself during withdrawal through the interaction between the fiber and the laser delivery system. The rotational motion is inherent to the withdrawal process and the optical coupling, eliminating the need for separate motorized rotation mechanisms. This self-rotating capability achieves uniform energy delivery without adding device complexity.
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
This approach enhances treatment precision, reduces the risk of vein perforation, and ensures complete vessel closure with improved reproducibility and safety, minimizing human errors and procedure time.
Implementation Method 1
an endoluminal lasing system for treating vascular disorders... comprises an elongated member that conveys laser radiation to tissue
Implementation Method 2
Laser energy is absorbed by the blood and/or vein wall tissue. As a consequence, vein is thermally damaged
Implementation Method 3
A rotating endoluminal lasing system with a spiral radiation pattern and motorized mechanism to prevent adherence... which spins during withdrawal
Data Source
AI summary
An endoluminal lasing system for treating vascular disorders is disclosed. Treatment comprises an elongated member that conveys laser radiation to tissue and a motorized mechanism, through which elongated member is rotated. As motor drives, its movement spins elongated member leading to a spiral movement as physician manually moves member in a longitudinal direction. In a preferred embodiment, elongated member is an optical fiber for endoluminal vessel treatment. In another preferred embodiment optical fiber comprises an off-axis firing distal end or side-firing distal end. Optical fiber can be a radial emitting fiber. Spin velocity can be varied according to treatment needs, i.e., pathology, type of vessel, energy source, vessel diameter, etc. One advantage, spiral movement prevents adherence to vessel wall in treatments. Another advantage is that radiation is applied more uniformly along vessel wall. The vessel wall is, thus more evenly treated under most conditions. Treatment velocity and reproducibility are enhanced with this procedure, and human errors are minimized.