Balloon Shock Wave Electrode Assembly for Lower Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock wave apparatuses for treating cardiac valve or blood vessel calcification face challenges such as high energy requirements leading to thermal and mechanical stress on electrodes, reduced service life, difficulty in entering calcification lesions, and large circuit volumes complicating surgical operations.
Innovation Solution
An electrode assembly with a first and second electrode, an insulating layer, and electrical conductors with protruding parts, designed to reduce shock wave attenuation and enhance energy distribution, allowing for precise treatment and extended electrode life, while minimizing circuit volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high voltage (7KV to 10KV) is used to generate shock wave for treating calcification lesion, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but electrode service life deteriorates due to intense thermal energy and mechanical energy during discharging
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode assembly is divided into multiple independent electrodes (first electrode, second electrode, third electrode, fourth electrode) with individual insulating layers. This segmentation allows distributed energy discharge across multiple points, reducing the thermal and mechanical stress concentration on any single electrode, thereby extending service life while maintaining treatment effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
An insulating layer is introduced as an intermediary between the electrode and the surrounding environment. This insulating layer protects the electrode from direct contact with conductive fluids and reduces unwanted electrical discharge, preventing thermal damage and extending electrode service life while allowing controlled shock wave generation
2Reliability
If high energy is used to break calcified tissue, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but shock wave attenuation increases during conduction through balloon and fluid
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode assembly generates shock waves in multiple spatial dimensions simultaneously from multiple electrodes arranged in different positions. This multi-dimensional energy distribution reduces attenuation by providing multiple conduction paths through the fluid and balloon, ensuring sufficient energy reaches the calcification lesion while reducing overall energy loss
3Ease of operation
If balloon is used to access calcification lesion portion, then ease of operation is improved, but treatment accuracy deteriorates when entering severe calcification due to difficulty in smooth entry
Solution Approach 1:
The multiple electrodes generate shock waves that perform preliminary treatment of the calcification lesion before the balloon reaches the target area. This pre-treatment softens and loosens the calcified tissue, creating a smoother pathway for balloon entry and enabling accurate positioning and treatment of the calcification lesion with improved precision
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 electrode assembly effectively treats calcification lesions with reduced energy requirements, prolongs electrode life, and simplifies surgical operations, enhancing treatment accuracy and safety.
Implementation Method 1
The shock wave generated by the electrode assembly 922 is radially conducted to a surface of the balloon 910 through the liquid inside the balloon 910
Implementation Method 2
a voltage between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a shock wave electrode may reach 7 KV to 10 KV, and the electrode generates intense thermal energy and mechanical energy during discharging
Implementation Method 3
When the shock wave is conducted to the calcification lesion portion, a compressive stress of the shock wave causes a fracture of calcified tissue at the calcification lesion portion
Implementation Method 4
a first electrical conductor disposed on at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the terminal end of the insulating layer
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode assembly for a shock wave apparatus. An electrode assembly (30) is disposed inside a balloon (10) of a shock wave apparatus (100). The electrode assembly (30) comprises: a first electrode (301); an insulating layer (302), the first electrode (301) being disposed inside the insulating layer (302) and the tail end of the first electrode (301) being exposed from the tail end of the insulating layer (302); a first electrical conductor (303), the first electrical conductor (303) being disposed on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the tail end of the insulating layer (302); and a second electrode (304), the second electrode (304) being disposed on at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of a base end of the insulating layer (302), such that an insulating gap is provided between the second electrode (304) and the first electrical conductor (303).