Ascending Aortic Conduit Structure for Pressure Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aortic valve stenosis leads to compromised blood flow due to reduced aortic valve diameter, potentially progressing to heart failure and other life-threatening conditions.
Innovation Solution
An aortic pressure-loss-reduction device is implanted in the ascending aorta, featuring a frame with anchor portions and a diverging conduit, angled struts, and a material layer to impede blood flow, allowing it to conform to the aorta's curvature and reduce pressure loss by altering blood flow dynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a device is implanted to reduce aortic pressure loss, then blood flow is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: an upstream anchor portion for radial expansion and anchoring, an intermediate portion with diverging conduit for blood flow redirection, and a downstream anchor portion for additional anchoring. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function while maintaining overall structural coherence and managing complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate portion of the conduit is designed to diverge in a radial direction, transitioning from a narrower upstream end to a wider downstream end. This dimensional change in the conduit geometry helps redirect blood flow away from the aortic valve, reducing pressure loss and improving cardiac output while managing the complexity through a clear geometric progression.
2Loss of energy
If the conduit diverges to increase cross-sectional area, then pressure loss is reduced, but the device length increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing device length along the longitudinal axis, the design achieves pressure loss reduction by diverging the conduit in the radial dimension. The cross-sectional area increases from the upstream end to the downstream end of the intermediate portion, allowing blood flow redirection without proportionally increasing the longitudinal length of the device.
3Reliability
If anchor portions radially expand against aortic wall, then device anchoring is improved, but the device must accommodate aortic curvature
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates flexible elements that allow dynamic adaptation to the aortic curvature. The frame and conduit are designed with sufficient flexibility to conform to the natural curvature of the aorta while maintaining the radial expansion capability of the anchor portions for secure anchoring. This dynamic adaptability ensures reliable anchoring across varying aortic geometries.
Solution Approach 2:
The device parameters, including the radial expansion force and conduit geometry, are designed to accommodate variations in aortic curvature. The flexible elements allow the device to adapt its configuration to match the aortic shape, maintaining effective anchoring while adapting to different curvatures without requiring rigid geometric constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods are described including an aortic pressure-loss-reduction device (20) configured to be implanted inside an ascending aorta of a subject. The aortic pressure-loss-reduction device includes a frame (52) that defines an upstream anchor portion (33F), an intermediate portion (23F) configured to define a conduit (26) therethrough, and a downstream anchor portion (31F). Angled struts (150) are disposed between a downstream end of the upstream anchor portion (33F) and an upstream end of the intermediate portion (23F). The angled struts (150) are configured such that, in response to a diameter of the upstream anchor portion (33F) changing by an absolute amount, an absolute change in a diameter of the upstream end of the intermediate portion (23F) is less than the absolute amount by which the diameter of the upstream anchor portion (33F) changes. Other applications are also described.