Actuation technologies for magnetically guided catheters

Due to their wide range of clinical application possibilities, magnetic actuation technologies have grabbed the attention of researchers worldwide. The design, execution, and analysis of magnetic catheter systems have advanced significantly during the last decade. The review focuses on magnetic actuation for catheter steering and control of the device, which will be explored in detail in the following sections. There is a discussion of future work and the challenges of the review systems, and the conclusions are finally addressed.

Miniature Pump for Treatment of Refractory Ascites Based on Local Magnetic Actuation

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of a novel low-cost implantable pump for the treatment of refractory ascites (RA) based on local magnetic actuation (LMA). A reciprocating positive displacement pump displaces liquid unidirectionally through magnetic coupling with a magnetic controller placed on the outside of the patient's body. The proposed solution is intuitive to use given an alignment algorithm that exploits externally placed magnetic field sensors (MFS). The implantable device has a catheter-like shape, is electronic free (no on-board battery), has low fabrication cost (<8 USD), and is able to generate a flow-rate of 3.65 L/h while effectively pumping fluids with various viscosity (1–5.5 cP). RA is commonly treated via costly paracentesis or invasive surgical placement of a transjugular portosystemic shunt (TIPS). The proposed solution can be implanted with minimally invasive techniques and can be used on a daily basis to drain a set amount of liquid, without requiring recurrent hospital visits.