Bifurcation Vascular Stent With Uneven Proximal End
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vascular stents fail to adequately cover and attach lesions near vascular bifurcations due to protrusion into main blood vessels and insufficient anchoring, leading to instability and increased thrombosis risk, especially in complex anatomies like the iliac vein where existing stents lack radial support and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A tubular vascular stent with wave-shaped supporters, featuring a proximal, middle, and distal support mechanism in a closed-loop structure, with an uneven proximal end surface providing regional support and adjustable inclination to prevent protrusion and ensure complete coverage at bifurcations, utilizing nickel-titanium alloy for flexibility and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a straight tubular stent is used at a vascular bifurcation, then the stent structure is simple, but the stent cannot adequately cover the lesion site and protrudes into the main blood vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is divided into multiple segments including a first stent body for the branch vessel and a second stent body for the main vessel, connected by connecting portions. This segmentation allows each segment to be optimized for its specific location, ensuring proper lesion coverage without protrusion into the main blood vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent transitions from a simple straight tubular structure to a three-dimensional bifurcated structure with multiple planes and angles. The first and second stent bodies extend in different spatial directions to match the vascular anatomy, enabling adequate lesion coverage at the bifurcation site.
2Reliability
If the stent is designed to cover the lesion site completely, then the coverage is sufficient, but the stent becomes unstable and floats in the branch blood vessel
Solution Approach 1:
The first stent body in the branch vessel and the second stent body in the main vessel are merged through connecting portions to form a unified stable structure. This merging prevents the stent from floating or dislodging while maintaining complete lesion coverage at the bifurcation site.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent is pre-configured with an expanded state that provides immediate anchoring and stability upon deployment. The connecting portions and second stent body are positioned in advance to prevent stent migration, ensuring both complete coverage and stability from the moment of implantation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional venous stent is used in the iliac vein, then the stent is flexible, but the radial support force is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The stent employs composite structural design combining different material properties and structural configurations in the first and second stent bodies. This composite approach provides both the flexibility needed for anatomical adaptation and the enhanced radial support force required for iliac vein treatment.
4Reliability
If the stent protrudes into the inferior vena cava to cover the lesion, then the lesion coverage is complete, but the contralateral iliac vein thrombosis risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is segmented into a first stent body for the iliac vein and a second stent body for the inferior vena cava, with controlled connecting portions. This segmentation allows the stent to cover the lesion at the junction without excessive protrusion into the inferior vena cava, thereby reducing the risk of contralateral iliac vein thrombosis while maintaining adequate lesion coverage.
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 stent effectively prevents protrusion into main blood vessels, provides stable attachment to lesion sites, and reduces thrombosis risk by adapting to the anatomical angles and curvatures of bifurcations, enhancing treatment efficacy for vascular lesions near bifurcations.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing nickel-titanium alloy for flexibility and strength
Data Source
AI summary
A vascular stent, including a plurality of wave-shaped supporters connected in an axial direction. The tubular stent includes a proximal support mechanism, a middle support mechanism, and a differential support mechanism connected in sequence; the middle support mechanism and the distal support mechanism are respectively closed-loop structure; the proximal support mechanism includes a first support portion connected to the middle support mechanism and a second support portion provided at the proximal end of the first support portion; the first support portion is a closed-loop structure; the second support portion is an open-loop structure, and the end surface of the proximal end of the second support portion is an uneven structure to provide local support in the circumferential direction.