抄録
We have proposed and developed a micro active catheter of 400μm in diameter. The catheter was composed of a bellows made of thin polymer membrane, a syringe and a micro tube connecting them. The bellows at the tip of the catheter was bent at an arbitary angle by water pressure supplied from the syringe through the micro tube. The fabrication of the catheter was made possible by the MeME process we originally developed earlier. The catheter has high safety because it uses no electricity for operation. The membrane structure of the bellows also improves the safety, by giving softness at the tip of the catheter to avoid damage to the blood vessel. The catheter is made of only polymer material, and therefore fully MRI compatible. This micro active catheter with extreme smallness and high safety should open the next stage of catheterization.
