Transvascular Access Guide Tube and Stylet Actuator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for transvascular access, such as using a steerable catheter with a bent tip, are limited in providing a second entry point remote from a first entry point, particularly for accessing central venous lines like the jugular vein from a femoral vein entry point, as they require manual piercing and lack efficient mechanisms for precise placement and advancement.
Innovation Solution
A vascular catheter system with a guide tube and stylet actuator, featuring a preformed curve and a sharp distal tip, allows for remote access by deploying a guidewire, advancing a guide tube with a camming surface, and using a stylet actuator to pierce the vessel wall, enabling precise placement and orientation for secondary access points like the jugular vein from the femoral vein.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a steerable catheter with bent tip is used to guide the wire, then the wire can reach remote vascular entry points, but the procedure requires manual piercing and lacks precise placement control
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tube is pre-formed with a curve at its distal end before insertion, allowing it to automatically assume the desired orientation when advanced through the catheter. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for manual bending or complex manipulation during the procedure, providing precise placement control while maintaining the ability to reach remote entry points
Solution Approach 2:
The guide tube acts as an intermediary between the catheter and the stylet, providing a pre-formed curved path that guides the stylet's advancement. This intermediary structure translates the linear motion of the stylet actuator into the desired curved trajectory, enabling precise placement at remote vascular entry points without requiring manual piercing operations
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a stylet with sharp distal tip is advanced through manual manipulation, then vascular tissue can be pierced, but the procedure lacks automated control and precision
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical manipulation of the stylet is replaced by an automated stylet actuator mechanism. The actuator uses a spring-loaded system with cam surfaces that automatically advance the stylet when the actuator is depressed, replacing manual pushing with a controlled mechanical system that provides both the piercing force and precise positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The stylet actuator mechanism changes the operational parameters by using spring force and cam surface geometry to control the stylet's advancement. The spring provides the necessary force for tissue piercing, while the cam surfaces control the timing and distance of advancement, transforming manual operation into an automated parameter-controlled process
3Device complexity
If the guide tube is advanced without a preformed curve, then the structure is simpler, but the ability to direct towards vessel wall at remote entry point is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tube is manufactured with a pre-formed curve at its distal end, configuring the tube in advance to assume the desired orientation when advanced. This preliminary action embeds the directing precision into the tube's structure itself, eliminating the need for complex active control mechanisms while maintaining the ability to accurately direct towards the vessel wall at remote entry points
Data Source
AI summary
Transvascular access devices and methods for transvascular access are provided. The transvascular access devices can include a guidewire lumen and a guide tube and stylet disposed in a second lumen. The guide tube can be used to control the orientation of the stylet and provide additional support for the stylet. The methods include providing a second entry point in a vessel of a patient remote from a first entry point. A vascular catheter can enter the vascular system of a patient at a first entry point and be advanced to a second entry point. A guide tube can be advanced out the second lumen of the vascular catheter with a stylet advanced out of the guide tube to pierce the vessel wall and skin of the patient at the second entry point. A catheter can be introduced to the vascular system at the second entry point.