Segmented Transporter Catheter Balloon Anchoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter systems face challenges in navigating complex coronary anatomy due to tortuosity, calcification, and structural characteristics, leading to difficulties in advancing medical devices through coronary arteries, particularly in achieving sufficient support and positioning without causing damage or kinking.
Innovation Solution
A catheter system comprising a transporter catheter with an orienting balloon and an anchoring balloon, which facilitates navigation and anchoring within the vasculature, allowing for improved pushability and torqueability while reducing kinking and compression risks, enabling more precise placement of medical devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the catheter is made stiffer to improve pushability through tortuous vessels, then the ability to advance through complex coronary anatomy improves, but the risk of kinking and compression increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple segments with different stiffness characteristics. The proximal portion has higher stiffness for pushability, while the distal portion has lower stiffness for flexibility and kink resistance. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its optimal function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the catheter are assigned different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The proximal portion is designed with higher stiffness to transmit push forces, while the distal portion is designed with lower stiffness and enhanced flexibility to navigate tortuous anatomy without kinking.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the catheter is made more flexible to reduce kinking, then the ability to navigate tortuous vessels improves, but the pushability and support through complex anatomy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter shaft is segmented into proximal and distal portions with differentiated stiffness. The proximal portion maintains higher stiffness for pushability, while the distal portion uses lower stiffness materials and structural features to prevent kinking during navigation.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter employs local quality by assigning different mechanical properties to different sections. The proximal section has higher stiffness for force transmission, while the distal section has optimized flexibility and kink resistance for navigating complex coronary anatomy.
3Device complexity
If a single balloon is used for both orienting and anchoring, then device complexity is reduced, but the precision of positioning and anchoring capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon system is segmented into two distinct balloons: an orienting balloon for positioning and an anchoring balloon for securing. This segmentation allows each balloon to perform its specific function optimally, with the orienting balloon providing precise positioning and the anchoring balloon providing reliable anchoring.
Solution Approach 2:
While using two balloons increases component count, it enables multi-functionality where one balloon handles orientation and positioning while the other handles anchoring. This functional separation improves overall system performance despite increased complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed that help deliver catheters or other medical devices to locations within a patient's body. The device includes a transporter catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a first balloon located at the distal end, substantially at a tip of the transporter catheter, and at least a second balloon located between the distal end and the proximal end of the transporter catheter. The first balloon is an orienting balloon and the second balloon is an anchor balloon. The transporter catheter may include a single lumen or more than one lumen. The transporter catheter may include a shaft including an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer may be made of a material more flexible than the material of the outer layer. The outer layer may also include a braided-wire assembly, said braided-wire assembly being formed by braiding a plurality of flat wires or circular wires. The braided-wire assembly may wrap around the inner layer. The transporter catheter may include a shaft that may include a plurality of segments of varying degrees of hardness. The degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft of the transporter catheter located between the first balloon and the second balloon may be less than the degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft between the second balloon and the proximal end of the catheter.