Steerable Dilatation Catheter With Elongatable Distal End
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guidewire techniques for treating occlusive vascular disease face challenges in positioning the guidewire accurately and reducing the risk of blood vessel perforation during lesion crossing and treatment.
Innovation Solution
A steerable dilatation catheter with a deflectable and elongatable distal end, comprising an outer flexible tubular member and an inner flexible tubular member, includes an expandable member and a deflection mechanism to guide and extend the catheter through tortuous vascular pathways, reducing misalignment and vessel perforation risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guidewire is used to puncture through hard deposits in occlusive vascular disease, then a passageway can be created for balloon catheter or stent delivery, but difficulty in positioning the guidewire and misalignment of the distal tip occur, leading to unintended perforation of the blood vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the guidewire and PTCA catheter into a single integral device. The guidewire is integrated within the catheter structure, allowing simultaneous guidance and treatment functions. This merging eliminates the separate positioning and guidance steps, reducing misalignment risks and positioning difficulties while maintaining the ability to create passageways through hard deposits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a deflection mechanism as an intermediary component that allows controlled bending of the catheter distal end. This mediator enables precise positioning adjustment without requiring separate guidewire manipulation, reducing the risk of perforation by allowing controlled engagement with the lesion site while maintaining overall device stability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the distal end of the catheter is made deflectable to navigate tortuous vascular pathways, then the catheter can be guided through complex vascular structures, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection mechanism is nested within the existing catheter structure. The deflectable distal end is integrated into the catheter body, with the deflection mechanism utilizing the catheter's own structural components. This nesting approach allows the catheter to navigate tortuous vascular pathways while minimizing additional complexity, as the deflection capability is achieved through modification of existing structural elements rather than adding separate complex systems.
3Productivity
If the distal end portion of the inner flexible tubular member is extended distally beyond the outer flexible tubular member, then the catheter can contact and advance through the lesion site, but the risk of misalignment and perforation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a deflection mechanism that provides feedback control for the distal end positioning. The deflection member can be adjusted to compensate for misalignment, allowing the distal end to be extended for lesion contact while maintaining alignment precision. This feedback mechanism enables the catheter to advance through the lesion site effectively while reducing the risk of perforation through controlled positioning adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
A fixed wire dilatation catheter for treating the vasculature of a patient. The dilatation catheter includes an elongated member that has a distal end portion which can be elongated to puncture through blockages within the blood vessels. The dilatation catheter also includes an expandable device located along the elongated member at a location proximal the distal end portion of the elongated member.