To prevent thermal damage of the esophagus during cardiac ablation surgery, a new device, named the Esophageal Deflection Device (EDD), has been designed. The device consists of a curved elastic tube that is straightened by an inner rod (insertion rod) prior to insertion in the esophagus. After insertion of the assembled device in the esophagus, the insertion rod is pulled out, causing deflection of the esophagus as the tube returns to its original pre-curved shape. A nonlinear constitutive equation of the Mooney–Rivlin type was used to describe the mechanical response of the tube material (ethylene vinyl acetate), with material parameters determined experimentally through uniaxial tensile testing. An analytical expression based on nonlinear elasticity theory is derived for the relationship between moment and curvature and used to evaluate the moments required to straighten the initially curved tube. The force vs. deflection relation was determined experimentally in a setup designed to model the straightening of the pre-curved tube. A finite element model was also developed to evaluate displacements and stresses in both the pre-curved and the straightened tube, allowing qualitative comparison of analytical, numerical and experimental results.

为了防止在心脏消融手术中食道受到热损伤，设计了一种名为食道偏转装置（EDD）的新装置。该设备由弯曲的弹性管组成，在插入食道之前，该弹性管通过内杆（插入杆）拉直。将组装好的设备插入食道后，拔出插入杆，当食管恢复到其原始的预先弯曲形状时，食道会发生挠曲。Mooney-Rivlin类型的非线性本构方程用于描述管材料（乙烯乙酸乙烯酯）的机械响应，其材料参数是通过单轴拉伸试验通过实验确定的。推导了基于非线性弹性理论的矩和曲率之间关系的解析表达式，并用于评估拉直初始弯曲管所需的矩。力与挠度的关系是通过设计用于模拟预弯曲管矫直的装置中的实验确定的。还开发了一个有限元模型来评估预弯曲管和矫直管中的位移和应力，从而可以对分析，数值和实验结果进行定性比较。