Annuloplasty Ring Deployment via Real-Time Imaging Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for implanting annuloplasty rings in the heart are highly invasive and carry significant morbidity and mortality risks, and less invasive approaches face challenges in optimizing device placement and configuration due to complex interactions between multiple components, making it difficult for surgeons to determine the optimal placement and configuration during a live operation.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize sensors, such as intravascular cardiac echography (ICE) catheters, and a logic device to provide real-time sensor information, generate device images, and determine optimized configurations for annuloplasty rings, allowing for precise adjustment and implantation through a closed surgical process, including the use of anchors and collars, to ensure accurate placement and function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional open heart surgical procedures are used to implant corrective devices, then the device can be securely implanted and positioned, but the procedure becomes highly invasive with elevated morbidity and mortality risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces open heart surgical procedures with a transcatheter delivery system that uses a delivery catheter to implant the annuloplasty ring through the femoral vein and right ventricle, avoiding sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass. This mechanical substitution reduces procedural invasiveness while maintaining device implantation security through controlled catheter-based deployment mechanisms.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a transcatheter procedure is used to deliver the corrective device, then the procedure becomes less invasive, but it becomes challenging to optimize device placement and configuration due to complex interactions between multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates imaging guidance (fluoroscopy, echocardiography, or intracardiac echocardiography) that provides real-time feedback on device position and configuration during implantation. This feedback loop allows the operator to visualize the annuloplasty ring, anchors, and collars as they are deployed, enabling optimization of placement and configuration despite the complex interactions between components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a delivery catheter system that pre-configures the annuloplasty ring with multiple anchors and collars in a compressed state before delivery. The preliminary arrangement of components within the delivery catheter simplifies the implantation process by allowing sequential deployment rather than requiring complex manual assembly during the procedure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components of the corrective device are configured and affixed during implantation, then the device can be optimized for patient anatomy, but the procedure becomes highly complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the annuloplasty ring into multiple modular components including the ring structure, anchors, and collars that can be independently configured and deployed. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for specific anatomical requirements while maintaining overall device functionality, and enables staged implantation that improves procedural efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates adjustable collars that can be dynamically repositioned along the annuloplasty ring after initial implantation. This dynamic adjustment capability allows optimization of device configuration for patient anatomy without requiring complex pre-planning, and enables intra-procedural fine-tuning that improves both adaptability and efficiency.
4Reliability
If the surgeon manually evaluates each potential consequence of device changes during operation, then the device can be optimized for performance, but the evaluation process becomes extremely time-consuming and difficult to complete within the operational time frame
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses real-time imaging feedback (fluoroscopy, echocardiography, or intracardiac echocardiography) that provides immediate visual information on device position, orientation, and configuration. This feedback eliminates the need for manual evaluation of each potential consequence by directly displaying the actual effects of device placement and configuration changes, enabling rapid optimization within the operational time frame.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the complexity and risk of implantation by providing a comprehensive and accurate visualization of the annuloplasty ring within the heart, enabling more efficient and effective placement and configuration, thereby improving surgical outcomes and reducing the likelihood of complications.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one sensor may include intravascular cardiac echography (ICE) catheter arranged within the annuloplasty ring
Data Source
AI summary
Improvements to devices, systems, and methods for delivering and/or deploying an implantable medical device are described. An implantable medical device may include an annuloplasty ring for implantation on a valve of a patient. Systems and methods may be configured to present graphical user interfaces with device images to implement efficient and accurate implantation of the implantable medical device. The device images may be based on sensor information obtained via sensors associated with the implantable medical device, such as a camera device, a diagnostic imaging device, position sensors, and/or the like. In other aspects, systems and methods may determine optimized configurations for the implantable medical device based on device characteristics including, without limitation, a shape formed by components of the implantable medical device and/or component coordinate information. Systems and methods may operate to facilitate deployment of the implantable medical device to correspond with the optimized configuration. Other embodiments are described.