Without interventional guidewires, many minimally invasive medical procedures that are common today simply wouldn’t be possible. They are an essential component of many interventional, therapeutic, and diagnostic devices, including catheters, and they have become increasingly sophisticated and innovative. Excitingly, however, we haven’t yet reached the innovation peak of interventional guidewires. Cutting-edge technologies, new ways of using materials, and intelligent design concepts are continually being developed, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. If you have an idea for a new medical device, what are the design considerations that you need to be aware of for the interventional guidewire component? Here’s...
Back in 2007, Arrotek was a medical device start-up that was about to do something new – hire its first employee. That was 15 years ago this month, and the employee was Adrian Moran. Adrian is still with Arrotek today, so he has witnessed first-hand the changes as we have grown into a company with nearly 100 staff. “It was humble beginnings at the start,” said Adrian, “as when I joined, Arrotek operated from a single unit in a business park in Strandhill. The company has grown continuously since then, and it has been fantastic to be a part of...
International Women in Engineering Day is an annual event to celebrate the success of female engineers. It is also a day to highlight the underrepresentation of women in engineering, including in the medical device industry. According to Engineers Ireland, only 12 percent of engineering professionals are women. One of them is Arrotek's Paula Oliveira. Paula's story is inspirational, but it also puts a spotlight on some of the issues that are limiting efforts to get a better gender balance in the engineering sector. In telling her story, Paula highlights that a lot of engineers in the medical device industry have...
Since their introduction in the early 1980s, interventional guidewires have transformed medical procedures beyond recognition. This, in turn, has transformed patient outcomes, highlighting the importance of innovative interventional guidewire design. Those first devices were basic compared to today's sophisticated interventional guidewires, but they were pioneering. That said, technologies and innovations in the field of interventional guidewires continue to advance at an exciting and rapid pace. As a result, outcomes for patients continue to improve, more advanced procedures are becoming possible, procedure times are being reduced, and the risks associated with complex medical interventions are continually being mitigated. The Importance of...
Usability engineering is a common concept in many areas of product design, but its importance is elevated in medical device product design because of issues of safety and effectiveness. In fact, the importance of usability engineering is increasing as medical devices become more complex and smarter. Medical devices are also being used in a growing number of situations and to treat an ever-widening range of conditions. Microcatheter technologies are a good example, given the advances that are being made in neurovascular microcatheters. What is usability engineering in medical device design, and what does it mean for your design project or...
Catheter shafts are a core component of medical devices designed for minimally invasive procedures. The main objective when designing a catheter shaft is to get the right balance of performance between the various functional requirements of the device. For example, getting the right balance of torque control, pushability, kink resistance, flexibility, compression resistance, etc. During the development process, engineers work through various design considerations to achieve the right performance balance and ensure the device is suitable for the application it is being designed for. Braid and Coil Reinforcement of Catheter Shafts Polymers are a crucial part of a catheter’s shaft,...
Neurovascular microcatheters have transformed the treatment of patients around the world. They enable minimally invasive treatments in a challenging part of the body, so have significantly advanced healthcare in this field. The range of neurovascular conditions that microcatheters are used to treat includes cerebral aneurysms, ischemic stroke, and other conditions that affect the vessels that supply blood to the brain and spine. While there have been significant advances in the design and development of neurovascular microcatheters, there is a constant strive to push the boundaries of innovation, particularly in relation to the miniaturisation of catheter devices and components. Further advances...
Multi-million-euro expansion and 100 new jobs for Sligo as medical device manufacturer Arrotek looks to the future Sligo medical device designer and manufacturer Arrotek is delighted to announce the planned creation of up to 100 new jobs after the company was granted planning permission for a 20,000sq ft extension to its headquarters in Sligo town. Arrotek is based in a purpose-built 50,000sq ft facility in the heart of the Medtech cluster in Finisklin Business park in Sligo, which was built in 2019 and features state-of-the-art manufacturing cleanrooms, laboratory, and engineering offices. It is expected that the additional 20,000sq ft will...
Stent delivery systems, particularly those that involve balloon catheters, have been used in a range of different medical procedures for many years. This doesn’t mean innovation in this area of medical device design has stopped. Quite the opposite, in fact, as new and highly innovative solutions continue to be developed. This includes stent delivery systems capable of delivering stents to the body’s most difficult-to-reach locations, including the brain. New innovations are also improving the performance of stent delivery systems in existing applications, while new technologies like robotics continue to push boundaries. When going through a stent delivery system design process,...
Occlusion balloon catheters are widely used for a range of medical procedures and treatments, from emergency haemorrhage control or the treatment of neurovascular aneurysms, to temporarily stopping the flow of blood during heart surgery. Despite the varied applications that currently exist, there continues to be new innovations in occlusion balloon catheter design. Those innovations are improving the treatment of patients, including in highly complex surgeries where the catheter must reach parts of the body through tortuous vasculatures. When going through an occlusion balloon catheter design and development process, there are several important factors to consider. Balloon Inflation and Deflation The...
