Multi-Durometer Shaped Catheter Tip for Tortuous Vessel Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheters face challenges in navigating through tortuous vasculature due to the need for a flexible distal section that can follow vessel twists and turns while maintaining support for longitudinal advancement, particularly when a shaped catheter tip is used.
Innovation Solution
A vascular catheter system with a flexible main body and a shaped tip comprising multiple sections of varying durometer materials, including a polymer and tungsten, allows the tip to deviate from and align with the longitudinal axis when a guidewire is extended, facilitating navigation through tortuous vasculature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible distal section is used to follow vessel twists and turns, then the catheter can navigate tortuous vasculature, but the catheter loses support for longitudinal advancement
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is divided into multiple segments with different material properties. The proximal portion has higher durometer material for rigidity and support, while the distal portion has lower durometer material for flexibility and conformability to vessel curves, allowing both navigation and longitudinal advancement support
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the catheter tip are assigned different material durometer values. The proximal section uses stiffer material to provide structural support for advancement, while the distal section uses softer material to follow vessel twists and turns, creating localized functional differentiation
2Adaptability or versatility
If a shaped catheter tip is used to direct the catheter around acute angles, then the catheter can access branch vessels, but the catheter becomes difficult to track through tortuous vasculature
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is designed to be dynamically reconfigurable through guidewire manipulation. The shaped tip can be temporarily deformed to navigate acute angles into branch vessels, then reshaped through guidewire advancement to follow tortuous vasculature, providing both access capability and trackability
3Strength
If the catheter tip is made stiffer to support longitudinal advancement, then the catheter maintains structural integrity, but the catheter cannot follow tight turns in the vasculature
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is segmented into proximal and distal portions with different rigidity characteristics. The proximal portion maintains structural integrity for advancement, while the distal portion is compliant enough to follow tight turns, resolving the contradiction through spatial differentiation of mechanical properties
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 system enables easier tracking of the catheter through tight turns in the vasculature by providing a flexible yet supportive tip configuration, reducing kinking and improving navigation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The shaped tip has at least a portion configured to deviate from the longitudinal axis when in a relaxed state and configured to move towards alignment with the longitudinal axis when a guidewire is extended through the lumen of the shaped tip
Implementation Method 2
The second section includes a first material having a first durometer and a second material having a second durometer lower than the first durometer
Data Source
AI summary
A vascular catheter system is provided with a flexible main body and a flexible shaped tip. The tip is located at the distal end of the main body and has at least a portion configured to deviate from a longitudinal axis when in a relaxed state and towards alignment with the longitudinal axis when a guidewire is extended through a lumen of the shaped tip. The shaped tip is no longer than 1 cm and includes at least three sections. The second section is located distally from the first section, and the third section is located distally from the second section. The second section includes a first material having a first durometer and a second material having a second durometer lower than the first durometer. The first section includes the first material without the second material, and the third section includes the second material without the first material.