Shape Memory Polymer Catheter with Selective Stiffness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intravascular medical devices, such as catheters, face challenges in navigating tortuous vascular paths while maintaining pushability and flexibility, as existing technologies lack effective mechanisms for selective stiffness adjustment and steering.
Innovation Solution
Integration of shape memory polymers with conductive layers that can be selectively activated to change shape, allowing for locking mechanisms, enhanced pushability, and steering capabilities by applying electrical current or heat, enabling precise configuration and function adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the device is made more flexible to navigate tortuous paths, then trackability is improved, but pushability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates a shape memory polymer section that can dynamically change its mechanical properties from flexible to stiff upon activation. This allows the catheter to adapt its state: flexible during navigation for trackability, and stiff during delivery for pushability, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The shape memory polymer undergoes a parameter change in its mechanical stiffness when activated by electrical current or heat. This parameter change enables the catheter to transition between soft and stiff states, allowing it to satisfy both trackability requirements during navigation and pushability requirements during delivery.
2Strength
If the entire shape memory polymer is activated, then stiffness is maximized, but selectivity and control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive layer is applied selectively to specific portions of the shape memory polymer rather than uniformly across the entire structure. This local quality approach enables selective activation of only the desired sections, providing both sufficient stiffness where needed and maintainable selectivity for controlled operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shape memory polymer is divided into multiple sections with independent conductive layers, allowing each section to be activated independently. This segmentation enables precise control over which portions change shape, maintaining selectivity while achieving the required stiffness in specific regions.
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 solution provides medical devices with adjustable stiffness and steering capabilities, improving navigation through tortuous paths and enhancing pushability, while allowing for precise control and configuration, thus addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
The portions of shape memory polymer that have a conductive layer thereon can be activated by energizing (e.g., applying electrical current or heat to) the conductive layer, at which point these portions can change shape
Implementation Method 2
The shape memory polymer has a conductive layer on portions thereof. The portions of shape memory polymer that have a conductive layer thereon can be activated by energizing (e.g., applying electrical current or heat to) the conductive layer, at which point these portions can change shape
Data Source
AI summary
Medical devices, such as catheters, including shape memory materials, are provided, as well as related methods of making and using such medical devices.