Coreless brush DC motor powers next-gen thrombectomy device for brain clot removal

Fast and effective treatment of blood clots is essential for positive patient outcomes. This is especially true when they occur in the brain, where they can have fatal consequences. 

Mechanical thrombectomy devices powered by miniature motors are essential for clearing blood vessels and preventing further cell damage. A manufacturer recently approached Portescap to help deliver an optimal DC motor solution with an efficient, lightweight design for their new device.

Blood carries oxygen and nutrients around the body through arteries and veins. However, if substances in the blood thicken, a blood clot can form, most commonly to stem bleeding from an injury. However, this can also happen within the blood vessel itself. This prevents blood from travelling beyond it, causing damage to the surrounding tissue. All blood clots are serious, but clots preventing blood flow to the brain are especially dangerous and require immediate treatment to avoid further complications.

Stopping brain clots

Medical professionals leverage sophisticated tools like thrombectomy devices to help remove clots impacting the brain. These devices employ a high-speed spinning wire to disrupt and subsequently remove clots from the bloodstream via vacuum aspiration, thereby restoring unhindered blood flow. Given the narrow confines of blood vessels, the procedure demands utmost precision.

Tailoring its operation to the specific characteristics of each clot, the device necessitates variable speeds to guarantee both safety and efficacy. Moreover, a lightweight, ergonomic design is critical for easy utilisation by medical personnel. These devices must exhibit not only precision but also exceptional reliability to ensure the success of every procedure.

Portescap selected its 16N78 brushed DC coreless motor for this device, which can run efficiently at the high speeds required to achieve proper wire rotation and quickly break up a clot. This motor covers a wide speed range too, which makes it ideal for meeting the different requirements of patients. Furthermore, Portescap can tailor electromagnetic coils to exactly meet customer performance criteria, delivering a truly specialised solution.

By their very nature, coreless motors provide better response times and speed consistency, which is critical to sensitive applications like this. Their high power density also ensures adequate torque production throughout the procedure. The 16N78 features an ironless winding design, which reduces mass and electrical inductance, ideal for precision work. A neodymium magnet and precious metal commutation further promotes exceptional performance in the application.

Reliable and easy to handle

The 16N78 provided ergonomic benefits as well. Due to its high efficiency, it can operate at a lower voltage range. This allowed the device manufacturer to downsize the battery, lowering the weight of the design and optimizing packaging for a compact footprint. This contributed to better ease of use for medical personnel.

A proven design for this application, the 16N78 offers superb reliability in operation, which it has demonstrated in testing. Additionally, Portescap’s REE System (Reduction of the Electro-Erosion) protects against the electro-erosion of the brushes and commutators, which ensures precise performance for variable patient requirements, promoting reliable procedures.

With a motor now selected, the manufacturer could continue developing the device and successfully release it to market. The 16N78’s combination of speed, power and reliability ensured that the device met the critical requirements of the thrombectomy procedure, while setting new standards in efficiency and weight saving.

The risk of blood clots can be reduced by lifestyle changes, but in a worst-case scenario, an important factor for a successful patient outcome is the proficiency of the tools available to medical professionals. With highly optimised devices using the most advanced miniature motor technologies, clots impacting the brain can be removed more effectively, aiding recovery and reducing the risk of further complications.