Variable Stiffness Guide Wire Using Phase Change Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current FEVAR procedures require multiple guide wires and catheters with different stiffnesses, increasing procedural steps, patient exposure to X-rays and contrast agents, and risk of errors.
Innovation Solution
An elongated device with a phase change material and optical fiber, featuring tilted or blazed gratings, allows for controlled stiffness changes along its length by transmitting light, enabling a single guide wire or catheter to adapt from soft to stiff, reducing the number of procedural steps and eliminating the need for multiple devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple guide wires and catheters with different stiffnesses are used, then the procedural steps increase and patient exposure to X-rays and contrast agents increases, but the ability to navigate and guide the stent is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple guide wires with different stiffnesses into a single guide wire by integrating a phase change material that can transform the guide wire's stiffness along its length. This merging eliminates the need to use multiple separate guide wires and catheters, reducing procedural complexity while maintaining the ability to navigate and guide the stent effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wire incorporates a phase change material that can dynamically change its stiffness properties in response to optical heating. This dynamic capability allows the guide wire to transition from a soft state for navigation to a stiff state for guiding the stent, replacing the need for multiple static devices with different stiffnesses.
2Ease of operation
If multiple guide wires and catheters are used, then the ability to guide the stent is improved, but the patient exposure to harmful X-rays and contrast agents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple guide wires and catheters into a single guide wire with variable stiffness. This reduction in the number of devices directly reduces the time patients are exposed to X-rays and contrast agents during the procedure, while the phase change material ensures the guiding capability is maintained through controlled stiffness changes.
3Productivity
If a single guide wire with variable stiffness is used, then the number of procedural steps is reduced, but the control precision for stiffness adjustment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical heating to change the physical state (phase) of the phase change material, which directly alters the stiffness parameter of the guide wire. By controlling the amount and distribution of optical energy applied, precise control over the stiffness of different sections of the guide wire is achieved, enabling efficient procedures with accurate stiffness adjustment.
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
This solution reduces the number of procedural steps, minimizes patient exposure to harmful agents, and ensures MR compatibility by allowing controlled stiffness adjustment of the guide wire or catheter during FEVAR procedures.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting light from a proximal end of the optical fiber to at least part of the phase change material for optically providing heat to said at least part of the phase change material
Implementation Method 2
cause said at least part of the phase change material to change its stiffness from one stiffness value to a different stiffness value
Implementation Method 3
the optical fiber comprises a plurality of longitudinal portions with tilted or blazed gratings arranged for guiding light in a direction away from the longitudinal extension of the optical fiber
Data Source
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AI summary
An elongated device, e.g. an interventional guide wire or catheter, comprises an optical fiber (OF) arranged to allow transmission of light to phase change material (PCM) arranged long the elongated device, for optically heating the phase change material (PCM) to change its stiffness from one stiffness value to a different stiffness value. Using distributed tilted or blazed Bragg gratings with light wavelength dependent unique grating periods along the optical fiber, it is possible to provide a guide wire or catheter which can be stiffness controlled at selected longitudinal portions. Especially, it may be preferred to be able to control the behavior of the tip of a guide wire or catheter for optimal navigation, e.g. during a FEVAR procedure. Portions of phase change material (PCM-1, PCM 2) arranged inside a tube material T_M can be activated at selected longitudinal parts of the elongated device.