Variable Thickness Balloon Catheter for Selective Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional balloon catheters face challenges in uniformly heating target sites within blood vessels due to uniform balloon thickness, leading to inefficient thermotherapy and difficulty in maintaining close contact with the target site, especially under heart pulsation and blood flow.
Innovation Solution
A balloon catheter system with a variable thickness balloon, where the contact portion has a thinner membrane than the non-contact portion, and a vibration generator to ensure uniform temperature distribution, along with a distance regulating device to adjust balloon shape and size for precise targeting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a uniform thickness balloon is used, then the balloon structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but thermal energy leaks from non-contact portions resulting in poor heating efficiency and inability to selectively treat the target site
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon membrane thickness is varied locally: the contact portion has a first thickness optimized for heat retention and target site treatment, while the non-contact portion has a second thickness (greater than the first) optimized for heat insulation. This local quality differentiation prevents thermal energy leakage from non-contact portions while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through controlled extrusion processes.
2Area of stationary object
If the balloon diameter is increased by pressurizing the inside, then the balloon can cover a larger target area, but the balloon cannot conform to the target site shape due to heart pulsation and blood flow changes
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is designed with a compliant structure that allows dynamic adjustment of its shape and size. The balloon can be inflated to a predetermined shape that conforms to the target site's geometry, and the system includes mechanisms to adjust the balloon's dimensions and form factor to adapt to changes in target site position caused by heart pulsation and blood flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters of the balloon including its shape, size, and surface area through controlled inflation and deflation. The balloon's form factor and dimensional parameters are adjusted to match the target site's geometry, enabling effective contact and heat transfer while adapting to physiological movements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the balloon is made softer to conform to the target site shape, then the balloon can adapt to target site variations, but the balloon wall becomes thinner resulting in increased heat leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon membrane thickness is differentiated by location: the contact portion (which conforms to the target site) has a first thickness that provides adequate heat retention, while the non-contact portion has a greater second thickness that provides enhanced heat insulation. This local quality variation allows the balloon to conform to target site shapes without compromising heat retention, as the thicker non-contact portions prevent thermal energy leakage.
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 design allows for efficient and uniform ablation of the target site by minimizing heat leakage from non-contact areas and conforming to the target site's shape, ensuring effective thermotherapy.
Implementation Method 1
an electrode for delivery of radiofrequency energy is arranged inside an elastic balloon, and a radiofrequency electric field is radiated therefrom
Implementation Method 2
a nichrome wire
Implementation Method 3
an infrared ray generator
Implementation Method 4
a laser irradiator
Implementation Method 5
an ultrasonic wave generator
Implementation Method 6
a vibration generator which applies vibrational waves to said balloon through said solution transport path
Implementation Method 7
a vibrational wave baffle which deflects said vibrational wave inside said balloon
Implementation Method 8
it is necessary to bring a balloon into close contact with the target site and then block a blood flow to thereby selectively heat and ablate the target site
Implementation Method 9
to thereby selectively heat and ablate the target site
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a balloon catheter system, enabling only a target site to be efficiently ablated, ensuring a balloon to be able to be brought into close contact with the target site in conformity to a shape of the target site. A balloon includes a contact portion that is to contact a target site and a noncontact portion that is not to contact the target site. A membrane thickness of the contact portion is thinner than that of the noncontact portion. Then, the target site that is in contact with the thin contact portion is selectively ablated, while making heat leak from the thick noncontact portion less likely to occur. Hence, only the target portion can be efficiently ablated.