Transcatheter Annuloplasty System with Pre-Trimmed Tightening String
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transcatheter annuloplasty systems face challenges in safely contracting heart tissue due to the need to cut the tether within the body, which can lead to material particles dislodging and potentially causing embolism, and the tether may become entangled with anchoring components during implantation.
Innovation Solution
A transcatheter annuloplasty system comprising flexible anchoring components and a tightening string, where the string is delivered through a delivery member and implanted in the heart tissue, allowing for sequential placement of anchoring components and adjustment of their spacing without the need for cutting within the body, thereby preventing particle dislodgement and entanglement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tether is cut within the body to trim excess length, then the implantation is completed, but material particles may dislodge and cause embolism
Solution Approach 1:
The excess tether length is trimmed outside the body before implantation. The method includes: (1) implanting the first anchoring component into the heart tissue with the tightening string entering the body; (2) delivering remaining anchoring components along the delivery member to the tightening string and implanting them in sequence; (3) tightening the tightening string to adjust spacing and contract heart tissue. By pre-trimming the tether outside the body, the procedure eliminates the risk of particle dislodgement during in-body cutting while still completing the implantation successfully.
2Force
If the tether is extended from the mitral annulus to outside the body for tightening, then the tightening effect is achieved, but the tether becomes entangled with anchoring components
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery member serves as an intermediary tool that guides the tightening string and anchoring components through the body to the heart tissue. The delivery member is coupled to the proximal end of the tightening string and facilitates the delivery of remaining anchoring components along its length to the tightening string. This intermediary mechanism prevents direct entanglement between the extended tether and anchoring components during implantation, while still allowing the tether to be tightened effectively to contract the heart tissue.
3Reliability
If multiple anchoring components are sequentially implanted through transcatheter route, then the mitral annulus contraction is achieved, but the procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery member serves multiple functions: (1) it provides a pathway for delivering the tightening string into the body; (2) it serves as a guide for delivering remaining anchoring components to the tightening string; (3) it facilitates sequential implantation of multiple anchoring components. By using this multi-functional delivery member, the procedure achieves reliable mitral annulus contraction through sequential anchoring component implantation while managing the procedural complexity through a single versatile delivery system rather than multiple separate devices.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method for contracting heart tissue using a transcatheter annuloplasty system. The system includes a plurality of anchoring components, a flexible tightening string and a flexible delivery member. The tightening string is coupled with a first anchoring component and the delivery member. The method includes: implanting the first anchoring component into the heart tissue, the tightening string entering a body along with the first anchoring component, and a proximal end of the delivery member extending outside the body; delivering each of remaining anchoring components, along the delivery member, to the tightening string and implanting it into the heart tissue; and tightening the tightening string. Therefore, after the plurality of anchoring components are implanted at different positions, along a circumferential direction of the mitral annulus, the tightening string is tightened to adjust a spacing of the anchoring components so as to contract the heart tissue.