Steerable Tip Guide Catheter with Electroactive Polymer Actuators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional guide catheters are difficult to steer and advance through tortuous vasculature, such as in the neurovasculature, due to their fixed shapes and stiffness, limiting their ability to conform to specific anatomical structures.
Innovation Solution
A catheter system with an elongated flexible body equipped with electroactive polymer actuators and a controller that allows for programmable configuration changes in response to user input, including voice commands, enabling precise shaping and orientation within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional guide catheters with fixed shapes and stiffness are used, then manufacturing and operation are simple, but they are difficult to steer and advance through tortuous vasculature
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter transitions from a fixed, static configuration to a dynamic, reconfigurable structure. The catheter body includes multiple segments that can be independently actuated to change the overall shape and configuration, allowing it to adapt to different anatomical structures during the procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is divided into multiple segments or sections along its length, with each segment capable of independent movement or configuration change. This segmentation allows the catheter to navigate tortuous vasculature by adjusting individual segments while maintaining overall structural integrity
2Adaptability or versatility
If preformed guide catheters in various sizes and shapes are available, then manufacturing is simplified, but they cannot be shaped into any suitable configuration for specific patients
Solution Approach 1:
A single catheter design with reconfigurable capabilities replaces the need for multiple preformed catheters of different sizes and shapes. The catheter can be programmed to assume various configurations to match different patient anatomies, making one device as versatile as many specialized devices
3Ease of operation
If voice control modules are added to enable hands-free operation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical control interface (buttons, knobs, manual manipulation) is replaced with a voice recognition system. The voice control module captures verbal commands, processes them through speech recognition algorithms, and translates them into appropriate catheter configuration commands, enabling hands-free operation
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
Enables precise control and navigation of long catheters through tortuous vasculature, allowing for hands-free operation and improved maneuverability, particularly in neurovascular procedures, by preprogramming configurations linked to specific anatomical structures.
Implementation Method 1
one or more electroactive polymer actuators disposed along the elongated flexible body. The electroactive polymer actuators are adapted to cause a change in configuration of the elongated flexible body
Data Source
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AI summary
A catheter system is provided. The system includes a catheter (12) having an elongated flexible body (16) and one or more electroactive polymer actuators (18) disposed along the elongated flexible body. The electroactive polymer actuators are adapted to cause a change in configuration of the elongated flexible body. The system also includes a controller (14) adapted to transmit the control signal to the electroactive polymer actuators. The controller includes a memory (34) storing a plurality of control signals corresponding to a plurality of predetermined configurations of the catheter and a user-interface (48) coupled to the memory. The user-interface is configured to select one or more configurations from the plurality of predetermined configurations in response to user input.