Pathway Jetstream System

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) affects 8 to 12 million people in United States alone, raising risks for heart attack, stroke, and leg amputation. To combat this, Pathway Medical Technologies devised an innovative new technology.

The core of this minimally invasive system is an innovative, adjustable-diameter cutting tip that rotates up to 60,000 rpm. Though the system had proven effective in clinical trials, it needed significant refinement in order to minimize setup complexity and ensure safe operation. A complex setup procedure not only increases the odds of error, it can serve as a barrier to adoption by medical professionals.

Pathway focused on developing its core IP and enlisted Carbon to commercialize this breakthrough technology.

The system console pumps a stream of saline into the cutting site, while removing a debris-filled mix of saline and blood with suction. Correct loading of the tubing to the infusion and aspiration pumps is critical.

In the clinical prototype, the tubes and the corresponding pumps looked the same; load the wrong tube to the wrong pump–or load the right tube in the right pump but backwards–and the patient’s life was in jeopardy. The goal: to redesign the console and other components for foolproof operation.

01. The console, mounted on an IV pole, lives outside the sterile field.

02. A set of disposable devices, connected by a maze of tubing, crosses into the sterile field.

03. The cutting tip works deep within the patient.

The largest breakthrough was the development of the “Baton.” The Baton organizes the tubing at the pumps and removes the possibility of incorrect loading. It turns a cumbersome, confusing, 8 to 10 minute procedure setup into an error-proof process that can be completed in under a minute. This streamlined installation also facilitates the passing of the Baton from the sterile field, out of the non-sterile periphery, to the Console.

When the Baton is loaded in the Console, the prominent channel through the Console guides users to route the tubing to the saline bag. The disposable set intuitively fills the channel and “completes” the form. In the original unit, the two pumps were arranged horizontally, with no cues for flow direction. Stacking them vertically made the “downstream flow” of the system intuitive.

As the Console doors are shut, the integrated pump housing closes around the tube to provide the proper pressures needed for effective irrigation and evacuation.

The Control Pod user interface is positioned on the edge of the device so it can be easily flipped, making it simple to approach patients from either left or right. Once oriented, surgeons use the activation handle to manipulate the drill at the far end of the catheter. The handle enables precise control of the plaque removal procedure. The graphic icons are designed to be read at a glance, and the interface is designed for optimal visibility with minimal complexity.

Tactile and intuitive, the dished run button is larger in comparison to the smaller, convex reverse button.

Pathway Jetstream has been recognized with four major design awards, and the upgradeable platform has been carried through to the second and third generations of the successful Pathway Jetstream system.

The resulting system is an integration of functionality, engineering, and aesthetics that greatly simplify a complex, life-saving procedure. Pathway’s Jetstream inspires trust and confidence in doctors, patients, and hospitals. With clogged arteries and their complications on the rise, the Jetstream provides a safe and cost-effective treatment with little or no recovery time. It has been well-received across the US, affording doctors and their patients a powerful new tool in the fight against PAD.