Apical Hole Closure Device with Hooked Tissue Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for closing artificial holes in the heart during minimally-invasive cardiac procedures, such as transapical approaches, lack effective solutions for securely sealing the apical hole to prevent blood flow and ensure tissue attachment.

Innovation Solution

An apical-hole closure device with a tissue-attachment portion and a collapsible portion is inserted into the hole, where the tissue-attachment portion becomes hooked to cardiac tissue, and the collapsible portion collapses inwardly to close the hole, potentially using a sealing material to seal the center of the device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a transapical approach is used to access the heart, then minimally-invasive surgery is enabled, but an artificial hole is created that requires secure closure to prevent blood flow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveminimally-invasive accessVSAvoidhole closure security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closure device is divided into distinct functional segments: a tissue-attachment portion with hooks for securing to cardiac tissue, a collapsible portion for closing the hole, and a sealing material for preventing blood flow. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively while working together as an integrated system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tissue-attachment portion is designed to attach to cardiac tissue before the collapsible portion is activated. This preliminary attachment ensures that the closure device is securely anchored to the tissue prior to hole closure, preventing displacement and ensuring reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the collapsible portion collapses inwardly to close the hole, then hole closure is achieved, but the device must be securely attached to tissue first to maintain position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehole closure effectivenessVSAvoidattachment and collapse mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tissue-attachment portion and collapsible portion are combined into a single integrated closure device. The attachment portion with hooks is directly coupled to the collapsible portion, ensuring that when the collapsible portion is activated, the entire device moves together as one unit, maintaining secure attachment while achieving hole closure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If sealing material is disposed inside the collapsible portion, then blood flow prevention is enhanced, but the device structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood flow preventionVSAvoidsealing mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing material is nested inside the collapsible portion of the closure device. This nested configuration allows the sealing material to be contained within the device structure, deployed only when needed, and integrated seamlessly with the collapsible portion without requiring separate deployment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11666314B2Method and apparatus for closing a hole in cardiac tissue

Publication Date: 2023.06.06 MEDTRONIC VSACULAR GALWAY

AI summary

Aspects of the present invention provide apparatuses and methods for closing an apical hole in a heart of a subject, including a hole-closure device that includes a tissue-attachment portion configured to attach to cardiac tissue around the apical hole, and a collapsible portion coupled to the tissue-attachment portion and configured to close the hole by collapsing inwardly inside the apical hole.