Temperature-Responsive Lubricating Coating for Medical Sheath Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical devices with lubricating coatings on sheath tubes experience imprudent movement due to lubricating characteristics when in contact with body fluids, compromising low-invasive insertion and removal.
Innovation Solution
A medical elongated body featuring a tubular main body with a hydrophilic lubricating coating and a temperature-responsive lubricating coating, where the latter transitions from hydrophilic to hydrophobic characteristics at body temperature, preventing unwanted movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hydrophilic lubricating coating layer is provided on the outer surface of the sheath tube, then insertion characteristics and removal characteristics are improved, but imprudent movement occurs due to lubricating characteristics when in contact with body fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different coating layers with different properties to different regions of the sheath tube. The distal side has a hydrophilic lubricating coating layer for smooth insertion and removal, while the proximal side has a temperature-responsive lubricating coating layer that provides non-lubricating characteristics at body temperature to prevent imprudent movement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and position stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature-responsive lubricating coating layer on the proximal side changes its lubricating properties based on temperature. At lower temperatures (during storage and insertion), it provides lubricating characteristics, but at body temperature (37°C or higher), it transitions to non-lubricating characteristics to prevent imprudent movement. This parameter-based transition resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a lubricating coating is provided on the sheath tube, then low-invasive insertion and removal are achieved, but friction reduction causes unintentional removal or misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent differentiates the coating properties between distal and proximal sides of the sheath tube. The distal side uses a hydrophilic lubricating coating layer that maintains lubricating characteristics at body temperature to enable low-invasive insertion and removal. The proximal side uses a temperature-responsive lubricating coating layer that transitions to non-lubricating characteristics at body temperature to prevent unintentional removal. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between reducing invasiveness and maintaining retention capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature-responsive lubricating coating layer undergoes a phase transition in its lubricating properties based on temperature. Below the critical temperature, it exhibits hydrophilic and lubricating characteristics; at or above the critical temperature (body temperature), it exhibits hydrophobic and non-lubricating characteristics. This phase transition enables the coating to provide low-invasive insertion/removal during procedure while preventing unintentional removal during indwelling.
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 smooth, low-invasive insertion and retention of the sheath tube, reducing friction and preventing unintentional removal or misalignment by maintaining lubricating characteristics during insertion and non-lubricating characteristics during indwelling.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophilic lubricating coating layer which exhibits lubricating characteristics when wet
Implementation Method 2
a hydrophilic lubricating coating layer which exhibits lubricating characteristics when wet
Implementation Method 3
a temperature responsive lubricating coating layer which exhibits hydrophilic characteristics and lubricating characteristics at a temperature lower than a critical temperature when wet and exhibits hydrophobic characteristics and non-lubricating characteristics at a temperature equal to or higher than the critical temperature when wet
Implementation Method 4
a temperature responsive lubricating coating layer which exhibits hydrophilic characteristics and lubricating characteristics at a temperature lower than a critical temperature when wet and exhibits hydrophobic characteristics and non-lubricating characteristics at a temperature equal to or higher than the critical temperature when wet
Data Source
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AI summary
[Task] Provided is a medical elongated body which can be smoothly put in and taken out with respect to a living body in a low-invasive manner and which can prevent an imprudent movement from occurring while being in use. [Solution] A hydrophilic lubricating coating layer 160 which exhibits lubricating characteristics when wet, and a temperature responsive lubricating coating layer 170 which exhibits hydrophilic characteristics and lubricating characteristics at a temperature lower than a critical temperature when wet and exhibits hydrophobic characteristics and non-lubricating characteristics at a temperature equal to or higher than the critical temperature when wet are formed on an outer surface of a sheath tube 110. The temperature responsive lubricating coating layer is disposed on a proximal side of the hydrophilic lubricating coating layer and is formed on a proximal side of the sheath tube.