Steerable Drainage Device Tension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices lack effective steering mechanisms to accurately direct the distal end of elongated medical devices, such as drainage tubes, to targeted locations within the body, limiting their precision and effectiveness in procedures like fluid drainage from body cavities.
Innovation Solution
The development of steerable drainage devices equipped with two parallel wires or flexible members running along the length of the catheter or tube, with a tension control member that applies selective tension to bend the distal end in desired directions, allowing precise directional control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional drainage devices are used without steering mechanisms, then the device structure remains simple, but the device cannot accurately reach targeted locations within the body
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage device is divided into multiple segments including a shaft, a distal end portion, and multiple tension control members that can independently adjust different sections. This segmentation allows the device to bend and steer to reach targeted locations while maintaining overall structural simplicity through modular components
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates dynamic tension control members that allow real-time adjustment of the distal end portion's position and orientation. By selectively tensioning or relaxing these members, the device can dynamically change its configuration to navigate to targeted locations and maintain positioning accuracy throughout the procedure
2Productivity
If drainage devices lack directional control, then the device design remains straightforward, but the device cannot effectively drain fluids from specific targeted locations
Solution Approach 1:
The tension control members are specifically positioned and configured to affect only the distal end portion of the device, allowing localized steering control. This enables the distal end to be precisely directed toward fluid collections while the proximal portion remains stable and easy to manipulate
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows the operator to achieve desired positioning and drainage effectiveness through manual adjustment of tension control members based on real-time feedback from imaging or procedural progress, eliminating the need for complex automated steering systems
Data Source
AI summary
Steerable, elongated medical devices that are inserted into a patient's body are disclosed. The devices include first and second wires slidably extending longitudinally through a wall of a tube and attached adjacent a distal end of the tube. The devices also include a tension control member configured to selectively apply a tension force to the wires to bend the tube.