Telescoping Intravascular Imaging Catheter for Kink-Free Flushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular medical devices face challenges in efficiently imaging blood vessels due to issues such as bubble formation during flushing, kinking, and obstruction of imaging components, which disrupt image quality and device functionality.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a telescoping assembly with a distal shaft member and a ribbon-shaped rod to provide structural support, reduce kinking, and maintain imaging core visibility, while allowing for translation and rotation of the imaging core within the catheter shaft, and includes features for efficient flushing to minimize bubble formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional catheter shaft design is used, then the device structure is simple, but the device is prone to kinking and obstruction during navigation through tortuous anatomy
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter shaft is divided into multiple telescoping segments (first shaft, second shaft, third shaft) that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows the shaft to navigate tortuous anatomy without kinking while maintaining structural integrity and device functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter shaft incorporates dynamic telescoping mechanisms that allow the shaft segments to extend and retract during navigation and imaging. This dynamic structure adapts to tortuous anatomy and prevents kinking while maintaining imaging core visibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the imaging core is translated within the catheter shaft, then imaging coverage is improved, but the imaging core may become obstructed or kinked
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping shaft segments provide a clear pathway for the imaging core to translate distally and proximally. Each shaft segment is designed to maintain alignment and prevent kinking during imaging core movement, ensuring continuous visibility throughout the imaging range.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping shaft segments act as intermediaries that facilitate smooth translation of the imaging core. The controlled movement of shaft segments relative to each other prevents obstruction while enabling extended imaging coverage.
3Productivity
If flushing is performed during the procedure, then debris is removed, but bubble formation disrupts image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The distal shaft member can be separated from the catheter shaft to provide direct access to the imaging window. This allows flushing to be performed externally without introducing bubbles into the imaging pathway, maintaining image quality while removing debris.
Solution Approach 2:
The separable distal shaft member acts as an intermediary that enables flushing operations without contaminating the imaging core pathway. By removing the distal shaft member for flushing, bubbles are prevented from entering the imaging window while still allowing efficient debris removal.
4Reliability
If structural support is increased to prevent kinking, then device stability is improved, but the device becomes more rigid and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter shaft is segmented into telescoping sections that provide structural support through their layered construction while maintaining flexibility. Each segment can move relative to the others, allowing the shaft to navigate tortuous anatomy without kinking while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping mechanism provides dynamic structural support that adapts to the navigation requirements. The shaft segments can extend and retract to provide rigidity when needed while maintaining flexibility for navigating tortuous anatomy, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of 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
Enhances the ability to efficiently image blood vessels by reducing kinking and bubble formation, ensuring clear imaging and stable device operation during navigation through tortuous anatomy.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging core disposed within the catheter shaft assembly... the imaging core includes an ultrasound transducer
Data Source
AI summary
Intravascular imaging devices and methods for making and using intravascular imaging devices are disclosed. An example intravascular imaging device may include a catheter shaft assembly including a telescoping assembly and a catheter body. The catheter body may include an imaging window and a distal end region having a first guidewire lumen formed therein. An imaging core may be disposed within the catheter shaft assembly. A distal shaft member may be disposed along an outer surface of the catheter body. The distal shaft member may have a second guidewire lumen formed therein. The intravascular imaging device may also include rod having a first end region coupled to the distal shaft member and a second end region coupled to the telescoping assembly.