Balloon-Mounted Stent Delivery for Protruding Feature Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing delivery systems for stents and scaffolds with protruding features face challenges in efficiently delivering and positioning these structures within a patient's body lumen, particularly in terms of space requirements and the need for multiple procedures to deploy and remove them.

Innovation Solution

A delivery system is designed with a stent positioned over an inflatable balloon, allowing for immediate expansion upon unsheathing, and includes a stabilizing wire to maintain the stent's position during deployment and retraction, enabling single-procedure delivery and positioning of expandable structures within the body lumen.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a stent with protruding features is delivered using existing delivery systems, then the stent can be positioned within the body lumen, but multiple procedures are required for deployment and removal, increasing procedure time and complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocedure efficiencyVSAvoidprocedure time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery system combines the stent, protruding features, and delivery mechanism into a single integrated unit that can be deployed and retrieved in one procedure. The stent is mounted on a delivery catheter with the protruding features positioned to engage with the vessel wall, allowing simultaneous deployment of multiple functions through a single procedural action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The stent and protruding features are pre-positioned and pre-configured on the delivery catheter before insertion. The protruding features are advanced ahead of the stent body to establish engagement with the vessel wall, and the stent is then expanded to its final position, eliminating the need for multiple separate procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Volume of moving object

If a stent with protruding features is delivered using existing delivery systems, then the stent can be positioned within the body lumen, but space requirements for deployment and retrieval are excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace utilizationVSAvoiddelivery system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is nested within the delivery catheter in a compact configuration, with the protruding features positioned to engage with the vessel wall. The delivery catheter is designed to accommodate the stent and protruding features in a space-efficient manner, allowing the entire assembly to be delivered through a minimally invasive approach without requiring excessive space for deployment and retrieval.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If a stent with protruding features is delivered using existing delivery systems, then the stent can be positioned within the body lumen, but the delivery process requires multiple steps and components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery process simplicityVSAvoiddelivery system structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery catheter is designed as a multi-functional device that can deliver the stent, position the protruding features, and facilitate retrieval in a single procedure. The catheter incorporates guiding elements, expansion mechanisms, and retrieval features that can be activated through a unified operational sequence, simplifying the delivery process while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

The system simplifies and expedites transluminal procedures by allowing for efficient delivery, deployment, and retrieval of stents with protruding features, reducing the need for multiple procedures and optimizing space utilization.

Implementation Method 1

A delivery system is designed with a stent positioned over an inflatable balloon, allowing for immediate expansion upon unsheathing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3863571B1Delivery systems for stents having protruding features
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 REFLOW MEDICAL INC
  • EP3863571B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3863571B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3863571B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Delivery systems for expandable elements, such as stents or scaffolds having spikes, flails, or other protruding features for penetrating target tissue and/or delivering drugs within a human patient are described along with associated methods for using such systems. The delivery systems can be provided with a stent that is positioned over an inflatable balloon for expansion and delivery of the stent to a target delivery location. By positioning the stent over and about the inflatable balloon, the stent is ready to be expanded by the balloon immediately upon unsheathing with respect to the outer shaft. Additionally or alternatively, a stent can be positioned in an axially offset arrangement with respect to a balloon to reduce the need for space required by overlapping components.