Design and analysis of single lumen microcatheter

This paper investigates the normal stress and shear strain of a single lumen microcatheter. A microcatheter is a nominally invasive device used in intracranial and neurovascular therapeutic disorders. Finite element method is used to analyze the stress-strain variations in all the three layers of the microcatheter. The stress-strain distributions are studied to incorporate an efficient and robust design to improve tractability of the microcatheter. The main objective of this paper is to make the microcatheter cost effective for the society by employing a robust design. A novel design of the microcatheter is done using a high-end three-dimensional modelling software inhibiting bends along the length to determine the failure criterion in one or all the three layers. The design of the braiding can be re-calibrated such that it can avoid shear failure of the inner layer. The dorsal tip of the microcatheter can be programmed using artificial intelligence using smart alloys (SMA) on the inner surface so it can take any shape according to the pathway inside the body.