Biodegradable blood vessel occlusion and narrowing

Abstract

A biodegradable blood vessel narrowing device, comprising: a biodegradable element; an anchoring element; wherein said anchoring element is anchored to a blood vessel wall and at least one external dimension of said biodegradable element is reduced upon biodegradation of said biodegradable element thereby pulling said blood vessel walls toward one another.

Description

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to blood vessel treatment and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to biodegradable devices and / or methods for blood vessel occlusion and narrowing.[0002]A malfunction in the ability of veins or arteries to supply or remove blood is associated with medical conditions such as varicose vein expansion, aneurisms, tumors, trauma and dissection of blood vessels.[0003]Varicose veins appear in 20-25% of women and 10-15% of men. Most varicose veins are considered a cosmetic condition rather than a medical condition; however, in some cases, hindered circulation may cause pain, disfiguring, swelling, discomfort, a tingling sensation, itching and / or a feeling of heaviness.[0004]Several techniques and procedures to treat varicose veins exist. Vein stripping involves tying off of the upper end of a vein and then removing the vein. Vein stripping is typically performed in an operating room u...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a biodegradable blood vessel narrowing device that can be used to occlude and narrow blood vessels. The device includes an anchoring element that is attached to the blood vessel walls using a bio-absorbable material. The device also includes a biodegradable element that is positioned between the anchoring element and the blood vessel walls. The biodegradable element is designed to decrease in size upon biodegradation, pulling the blood vessel walls together. The device can be used in a minimally invasive procedure and can be easily deployed and positioned in the blood vessel. The technical effects of the invention include improved blood vessel narrowing and occlusion with reduced inflammation and improved patent text describes the construction and use of the device.

Problems solved by technology

Most varicose veins are considered a cosmetic condition rather than a medical condition; however, in some cases, hindered circulation may cause pain, disfiguring, swelling, discomfort, a tingling sensation, itching and / or a feeling of heaviness.

Approximately 150,000 vein stripping surgeries are performed each year in the U.S. Vein stripping associated risks include risks linked to general anesthesia such as anesthesia allergies, infections etc.

In addition, tissue around the stripped vein may become bruised and scarred causing a feeling of “tightness” in the leg.

Damaged may cause numbness and paralysis of part of the leg.

Endovenous laser treatment uses intense heat to remove a vein, which may lead to an increased risk of developing blood clots.

Treated veins can also become irritated and inflamed, leading to pain and swelling in the legs.

The treated area can begin to tingle or become burned from the heat.

There may be a chance of bleeding, infection or blood clots with radiofrequency occlusion as with many other procedures.

A unique complication that is associated with radiofrequency occlusion, however, is skin burn due to the method of occlusion used during treatment.

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