Catheter Plasma Targets for Laser Breakdown of Vascular Calcium
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vascular lesions are difficult to treat effectively, and existing interventions may require significant energy for plasma creation, risking damage to light guides due to proximity to plasma generation and pressure waves.
Innovation Solution
A catheter system with a light guide and plasma target spaced apart from the distal tip, using sub-millisecond light pulses to generate plasma away from the tip, creating pressure waves within an inflatable balloon to fracture lesions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plasma is created near the distal end of the light guide, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but the light guide is at risk of damage from plasma temperatures and pressure waves
Solution Approach 1:
A plasma target (intermediary object) is introduced between the light guide and the treatment site. The light guide delivers energy to the plasma target, which then generates the therapeutic plasma and pressure waves at a distance from the light guide, protecting it from direct exposure to harmful plasma conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the light guide from the plasma generation site by using a distinct plasma target component. This segmentation allows the light guide to remain protected while the plasma target handles the high-energy plasma generation function
2Reliability
If significant energy is used for plasma creation, then therapeutic effectiveness is improved, but the risk of light guide damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma target serves as an energy conversion intermediary, receiving optical energy from the light guide and converting it to plasma and pressure wave energy. This allows efficient energy transfer while keeping the light guide at a safe distance from the high-energy plasma generation zone
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces direct mechanical/optical interaction between the light guide and plasma with an intermediary plasma target that converts optical energy to plasma energy, improving energy efficiency and reducing light guide exposure risks
3Device complexity
If the plasma target is positioned close to the light guide, then device complexity is reduced, but the light guide is exposed to harmful plasma effects
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma target is positioned as an intermediary component that can be integrated into the catheter structure at an optimal distance from the light guide, maintaining relatively simple device architecture while effectively protecting the light guide from plasma exposure through the spacing and protective balloon structure
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
Reduces the risk of light guide damage while efficiently treating vascular lesions with less energy input, minimizing potential harm to the light guide.
Implementation Method 1
Creation of a plasma via optical breakdown of an aqueous solution requires a significant amount of energy in a short amount of time
Implementation Method 2
it is converted into a therapeutic bubble and/or a therapeutic pressure wave
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter system (100) for treating a treatment site (106) within or adjacent to a blood vessel (108) includes a power source (124), a light guide (122) and a plasma target (242). In various embodiments, the light guide (122) receives power from the power source (124). The light guide (122) has a distal tip (244), and the light guide (122) emits light energy (243) in a direction away from the distal tip (244). The plasma target (242) is spaced apart from the distal tip (244) of the light guide (122) by a target gap distance (245). The plasma target (242) is configured to receive light energy (243) from the light guide (122) so that a plasma bubble (234) is generated at the plasma target (242). The power source (124) can be a laser and the light guide (122) can be an optical fiber. The catheter system (100) can also an inflatable balloon (104) that encircles the distal tip (244) of the light guide (122). The plasma target (242) can be positioned within the inflatable balloon (104). The plasma target (242) can have a target face (1672) that receives the light energy (243) from the light guide (122). The plasma target (242) can be formed from one or more of tungsten, tantalum, platinum, molybdenum, niobium, iridium, magnesium oxide, beryllium oxide, tungsten carbide, titanium nitride, titanium carbonitride and titanium carbide.