Vascular Access Delivery Guide for Long-Reach Blood Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheters face challenges in maintaining blood sample access without additional needle sticks, particularly when indwelling for prolonged periods, due to issues like narrowing, collapse, kinking, and blockage, which lead to increased patient discomfort and material costs.
Innovation Solution
A delivery device with a housing and guide feature that facilitates the advancement of a vascular access instrument, such as a catheter or guidewire, through a U-shaped channel, allowing a 1:2 advancement ratio to support the instrument's length and reduce kinking, while enabling access to the vasculature without additional needle sticks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a peripheral IV catheter is left inserted for prolonged period, then the catheter can be used for extended infusion therapy, but the catheter becomes susceptible to narrowing, collapse, kinking, and blockage making blood sampling difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a delivery device as an intermediary tool that enables blood sampling through the catheter without requiring needle replacement. The delivery device contains a sampling instrument that can be advanced through the existing catheter lumen to reach the vasculature, allowing blood collection while the catheter remains in place, thus maintaining reliability for blood sampling during prolonged indwelling periods
2Productivity
If additional needle stick is performed for blood collection, then blood sample can be obtained, but patient discomfort increases and material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where the delivery device can deliver various vascular access instruments including sampling catheters, guidewires, and needles through a single access point. This universal delivery capability allows blood collection and other vascular procedures to be performed through the existing catheter without additional needle sticks, reducing patient discomfort while maintaining productivity
3Length of moving object
If instrument length is increased to reach deep vasculature, then access to deep vessels is achieved, but instrument becomes more prone to kinking and structural failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible materials and designs for the delivered instruments, particularly the sampling catheter and guidewire, which can bend and flex to navigate the vasculature without kinking. The delivery device itself is designed with flexibility to accommodate long instruments while maintaining structural integrity during advancement, enabling deep vascular access without compromising strength
4Ease of operation
If delivery device advances instrument through U-shaped channel with 1:2 ratio, then instrument advancement control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes a U-shaped channel within the delivery device housing that provides a curved path for instrument advancement. This curved geometry naturally guides the instrument in a controlled manner while the 1:2 advancement ratio mechanism (where moving the guide feature a certain distance advances the instrument twice that distance) provides mechanical advantage for precise control. The curved path design simplifies the overall structure compared to complex mechanical transmission systems
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery device for delivering an instrument into a catheter assembly may include a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and a slot. The delivery device may include a guide feature, which may be disposed within the housing. The guide feature may extend through the slot. The delivery device may include an instrument disposed within the housing and extending through the guide feature. In response to movement of the guide feature along the slot in the distal direction a first distance, a first end of the instrument may be advanced in the distal direction a second distance, which may be greater than the first distance. A second end of the instrument may be stationary with respect to the housing.