Split-tip Catheter with Staggered Lateral Openings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catheters for hemodialysis face challenges in efficiently advancing through tortuous vasculature and reducing recirculation of treated blood, leading to lower treatment efficiency and longer treatment times due to snagging and fluid recirculation issues.

Innovation Solution

A split-tip catheter design with separate venous and arterial segments that nest together, providing a columnar profile for easier advancement and featuring staggered lateral and distal openings to minimize recirculation, along with a guidewire for maintaining segment alignment during insertion and allowing separation post-positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional single-tip catheter design is used, then the structure is simple, but the catheter snags on tortuous vasculature and obstacles during advancement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of advancement through vasculatureVSAvoidcatheter structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter tip is divided into separate venous and arterial segments that can articulate relative to each other, allowing the tip to navigate tortuous vasculature and past obstacles more easily while maintaining a relatively simple overall catheter structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The arterial segment is nested within the venous segment during storage and insertion, creating a compact profile that reduces snagging while allowing the segments to separate and articulate once positioned in the vasculature

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If lateral openings are positioned at the same level in both lumens, then the catheter structure is simple, but treated blood recirculates between lumens reducing treatment efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehemodialysis treatment efficiencyVSAvoidopening configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lateral openings in the venous and arterial lumens are positioned at different longitudinal levels (staggered configuration), preventing direct recirculation of treated blood from one lumen to the other while maintaining a relatively simple catheter body structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The openings are staggered along the longitudinal axis of the catheter, adding a dimensional separation that prevents recirculation while keeping the cross-sectional structure simple

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11260161B2Solid-body catheter including lateral distal openings

Publication Date: 2022.03.01 CR BARD INC

AI summary

A catheter for vascular insertion, including a catheter body defining a first lumen and a second lumen, and including a distal region. The distal region may include a first distal opening in fluid communication with the first lumen, and a second distal opening in fluid communication with the second lumen. The distal region may also include a first lateral opening defined by the catheter body and in fluid communication with the first lumen, and a second lateral opening defined by the catheter body and in fluid communication with the second lumen. One or both of the first and second lateral openings may be defined by an angle cross-cut through an outer perimeter of the catheter body.