Project Description
MOTIVATIONS:
Every year, 795,000 people suffer from a stroke in the United States, in which 50% of those cases are caused by cerebral thrombosis, the formation of blood clots in the veins of the brain. Therefore, it is the most common cause of stroke among patients. About 75% of all strokes occur in individuals over the age of 65 whereas the chance of having a stroke doubles every decade after the age of 55. Current treatment for the illness involves the use of passive guidewires and catheters that are inserted into the femoral artery located in the thigh of the patient.
GOALS & OBJECTIVES:
The objective of this project is to develop an active guidewire that can be precisely controlled and navigated through the arteries and veins located in the brain to eliminate blood clots. The design must allow for the guidewire to be small enough to fit through the canals of the brain but also sturdy enough to carry out the blood clot. Along with that, the device must be able to be controlled in any form or shape when deployed in the body.
Market Insight:


In 2019, the guidewire market in the US was 2 billion dollars but none of the guidewire used in the market was active. Today the typical stroke surgery will use 4 ~ 5 passive guidewires, and each guidewire costs up to 100 dollars. On average, a surgeon would take up to 2 years to be fully trained and can successfully operate the surgery with a passive guidewire. The goal of us is to provide an active guidewire that can be used for several or an entire operation without replacement, and the cost of each guidewire is around 300 dollars. An active guidewire with lower cost and easier operation ability would provide a huge advantage for society.
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