Steerable Elastic Catheter Hammering for Vessel Blockage Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for removing blood vessel blockages are prone to inadvertently cutting the vessel wall, lack subtle control, and are ineffective for blockages with soft or calcified materials, and steerable catheters face control challenges due to tendon friction and bulkiness.
Innovation Solution
A steerable catheter with a distal end made from elastic materials of varying moduli, using a single pulling wire for bending and a controller for precise hammering actions, allowing controlled compression and expansion to remove blockages without excessive force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rotating cutting tips, lasers, or heating elements are used to remove blockages, then blockage removal capability is improved, but the risk of inadvertent cutting of the vessel wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces aggressive mechanical cutting systems (rotating cutting tips, lasers, heating elements) with a gentle pneumatic hammering mechanism. The system uses a balloon catheter that delivers controlled pneumatic pulses to the blockage, creating a non-contact mechanical action that removes blockages without the high shear forces and thermal damage associated with traditional cutting and laser methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs periodic pneumatic hammering actions through the balloon catheter. The controller delivers a series of controlled pneumatic pulses at adjustable frequencies and amplitudes, creating a rhythmic hammering effect that progressively removes blockage material. This periodic action allows for controlled, incremental removal rather than single aggressive strikes, reducing the risk of vessel wall damage.
2Productivity
If ultrasonic pressure devices are used to remove blockages, then blockage removal is achieved, but the device cannot work for blockages with soft material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-parameter adjustable pneumatic system where the controller can vary pulse frequency, amplitude, and duration to match different blockage characteristics. The system can adapt to soft, hard, calcified, or mixed blockage types by adjusting the pneumatic parameters, making it universally applicable to various blockage compositions unlike ultrasonic devices that are limited to specific material types.
3Productivity
If cutting devices are used to remove blockages, then hard calcified blockages can be removed, but the device cannot work for blockages with soft material
Solution Approach 1:
The pneumatic hammering system allows dynamic adjustment of delivery parameters including pulse strength, frequency, and duration. This enables the same device to gently tap soft blockages with low-amplitude pulses while delivering higher-force impacts to hard calcified blockages, providing universal adaptability across the full spectrum of blockage material properties.
4Ease of operation
If tendon-steered steerable catheters are used, then steerable control is achieved, but the catheter becomes bulky and difficult to control due to friction and backlash
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex tendon-steering mechanism from the catheter design. Instead of using multiple tendons and joints that create friction and backlash, the invention uses a simplified wire-based actuation system where a single wire transmits control signals to manipulate the catheter tip, eliminating the bulky tendon structure while maintaining steerable control capability.
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 fine control and reduced risk to patients by minimizing vessel damage while effectively removing blockages of varying compositions, with a smaller diameter and improved maneuverability.
Implementation Method 1
the catheter may be made from an elastic material and the hammering action may be provided by repeatedly causing the elastic catheter to be compressed and then expanded against the blockage
Implementation Method 2
a distal end that may be partially formed from elastic materials of varying elastic moduli such that compression of the catheter may result in a bending of the distal end for steering of the catheter
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for steering a catheter and removing a blockage from a vessel, wherein removing the blockage includes providing a blockage removal system including a steerable catheter and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to steer the catheter and cause the catheter to move with a hammering movement; inserting the catheter into the vessel; and activating using the controller of a hammering action of the catheter against the blockage to thereby remove the blockage.