Aortic Emboli Deflector with Nitinol Lift Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for deflecting emboli in the aorta are inadequate in preventing emboli from entering brain arteries, as they lack effective mechanisms to maintain position and filter embolic material efficiently within the aortic arch.
Innovation Solution
A device with a lateral structure, lower and upper members made from Nitinol wire or Drawn Filled Tubing, featuring a hook and anchor design that exerts lift and limits movement to maintain a horizontal position within the aorta, filtering emboli by positioning midway between the aortic arch walls and extending over branch arteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple filter structure is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to maintain position and filter emboli effectively deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: a lateral structure for filter support, a lower member for exerting lift, and an upper member for limiting lift. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower member is designed to exert upward lift force on the lateral structure to counteract the downward force of gravity and blood flow, maintaining the filter in a horizontal position. The upper member provides opposing downward force to limit excessive lift, creating a balanced counterweight system.
2Reliability
If the filter is positioned deep in the aorta, then emboli are more effectively blocked, but the risk of interfering with blood flow to branch arteries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a simple linear filter to a three-dimensional structure with lateral extensions that create a horizontal filtering plane. This dimensional change allows the filter to occupy space efficiently while maintaining optimal positioning relative to branch artery openings.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter mesh is positioned with specific local characteristics - the lateral structure extends horizontally to cover the aortic arch width, while the upper and lower members provide localized force application points to maintain this positioning without interfering with blood flow paths to branch arteries.
3Reliability
If the filter mesh has small pores, then emboli are more effectively filtered, but the risk of thrombus formation and wire mesh breakage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter mesh parameters (pore size, wire diameter, mesh density) are optimized to balance emboli filtration effectiveness with thrombus formation risk. The lateral structure provides additional surface area for filtering while maintaining adequate pore sizes to prevent thrombus formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes composite material construction with the lateral structure made from Nitinol wire or Drawn Filled Tubing (combining Nitinol with tantalum and/or platinum cores), providing both structural integrity and appropriate surface properties for filter function while minimizing thrombus formation and wire breakage.
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
Effectively prevents emboli from entering brain arteries by maintaining a stable filtering position within the aorta, allowing continuous blood flow while filtering embolic material from entering branch arteries, even during procedures like transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
Implementation Method 1
the lower member exerts lift on a middle area of the lateral structure
Implementation Method 2
the upper member limits the lift
Implementation Method 3
The filter may be a mesh or perforated film
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
An intra-vascular device may include a skeleton to hold a blood filter, an upper member to fit into a branch artery of an aorta, and a pair of lower members whose distal ends are not connected to each other, such lower members to press against a wall of an ascending artery and to provide lift to the device so that a middle portion of the device is above a lateral plane of the device. The device may be positioned in a middle area of an aortic arch near but not covering an opening of the branch arteries of the aorta, and may filter or deflect emboli or other large objects from entering into the branch arteries.