Valve Loader System for Sterile Multi-Valve Catheter Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter systems lack an efficient method for loading and deploying multiple valves or medical devices into a body, particularly for implantation, as they often require complex procedures and may not ensure proper positioning and sterility.
Innovation Solution
A valve loading system comprising a deployment catheter, a cartridge for storing medical devices, and a valve loader that allows for sterile loading and deployment of valves or medical devices, including features like a loader plunger, cartridge locking mechanism, and alignment inserts to ensure accurate placement and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a catheter system is designed to load and deploy multiple valves or medical devices, then the productivity and efficiency of the procedure is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into distinct functional modules: a deployment catheter for delivery, a separate cartridge for storing one or more valves, and a valve loader mechanism for transferring valves. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to enable efficient multi-valve deployment without excessive overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge containing one or more valves is nested within the deployment catheter system. The valve loader mechanism is integrated within the catheter structure, allowing compact storage and organized deployment of multiple valves through a hierarchical nesting arrangement that reduces spatial complexity.
2Reliability
If a sterile loading mechanism is implemented to ensure proper positioning and sterility, then the reliability and safety of implantation is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Valves are pre-loaded into the cartridge in a sterile environment before the procedure. The cartridge is designed with pre-configured valve positions and alignment features that ensure proper orientation during transfer. This preliminary preparation maintains sterility while simplifying the actual deployment operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge acts as an intermediary component between the sterile valve storage and the deployment catheter. The valve loader serves as a mediator mechanism that transfers valves from the cartridge to the catheter in a controlled manner, maintaining sterility barriers while enabling easy operation through automated or semi-automated transfer actions.
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment inserts and locking mechanisms are added to ensure accurate placement, then the manufacturing precision and reliability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment inserts are placed at specific critical locations within the cartridge and catheter interface to ensure proper valve positioning. Locking mechanisms are positioned at key points where valves are transferred and secured. This localized application of precision features achieves accurate placement without requiring complex precision mechanisms throughout the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve loading system that uses a valve loader to transfer a valve or other medical device from a storage cartridge into a deployment catheter. The valve or other medical device can be implanted or positioned within a patient using the catheter after the valve or other medical device has been compressed and loaded into the catheter using the valve loader. The process then can be repeated by using the valve loading system to load or introduce another valve or other medical device into the catheter. The valve loading system includes a loading pin sized to limit contact with the medical device during a loading procedure.