Deflecting Screen Embolic Protection in Aortic Arch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing embolic protection devices face challenges such as difficulty in handling and positioning, potential damage to arterial walls, and high risk of iatrogenic embolization during cardiac and aortic arch procedures, particularly due to the need for large access ports and complex navigation through the aortic arch.
Innovation Solution
A medical device comprising a catheter with an expandable embolic protection system featuring a flexible frame and concave filter membrane, which deploys to cover the ostia of aortic side branch vessels without direct contact with the aortic wall, allowing blood flow while blocking embolic particles, and can be easily maneuvered through the aortic arch without damaging the vessel walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter is placed inside the carotid artery lumen to protect against emboli, then cerebral embolic protection is improved, but the risk of iatrogenic embolization and damage to the arterial wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device - a deflecting screen positioned in the aortic arch that redirects embolic particles away from carotid vessels before they can enter the cerebral circulation. This intermediary approach protects the brain without requiring direct contact with or placement in the carotid arteries, thereby avoiding iatrogenic damage to those vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the protective function from the carotid artery lumen and relocates it to the aortic arch. By placing the deflecting screen upstream in the aortic arch, the device removes embolic particles from the blood flow before they reach the carotid arteries, eliminating the need for direct carotid intervention and its associated risks.
2Reliability
If intravascular filtering devices are used to capture emboli, then embolic protection is improved, but the difficulty of placement and retrieval increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the filtering function from within the carotid artery lumen and relocates it to the aortic arch where access is more straightforward. The deflecting screen is positioned upstream, allowing easier catheter navigation and device deployment while maintaining effective embolic protection.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the filter downstream in the carotid arteries and retrieving it by recapturing through the same vessels, the invention inverts the approach by positioning the deflecting screen upstream in the aortic arch. This allows the device to be deployed and retrieved through more accessible vascular routes, simplifying the overall procedure.
3Reliability
If filters are placed in aortic arch vessels to protect both carotid arteries, then cerebral protection is improved, but the complexity of navigation through the aortic arch increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal access approach through the femoral artery that can serve multiple functions - delivering the deflecting screen to the aortic arch, providing a route for catheter passage, and enabling device retrieval. This single access point simplifies navigation compared to requiring separate access to multiple aortic arch vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The femoral artery serves as an intermediary access route that facilitates delivery of the deflecting screen to the aortic arch without requiring direct navigation through the complex aortic arch anatomy. This intermediary pathway reduces navigational complexity while achieving the same protective effect.
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
Provides effective embolic protection for the cerebral vasculature during cardiac and aortic arch procedures by preventing embolic particles from entering side branch vessels while maintaining blood flow and minimizing the risk of iatrogenic damage to the aortic arch.
Implementation Method 1
The filter membrane blocks embolic particles from entering the side branch vessels while maintaining blood flow
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 2c~3
AI summary
Medical device for embolic protection in an aortic arch, comprising a catheter having a shaft and a distal end portion of the shaft, an expandable embolic protection device having a filter membrane and a frame, wherein said frame comprises a frame loop and an elongated frame shaft having a distal end portion connected to the frame loop in a connection point, in its expanded state the frame loop spans said filter membrane and bending means to bend the distal end portion of the catheter and/or the distal end portion of the frame shaft, wherein said medical device comprises a protective state in which said distal end portion of the catheter is bent, said embolic protection device is expanded, said frame shaft extends in a longitudinal direction of the bent distal end portion and said expanded frame loop being completely positioned distally of said connection point.