Biodegradable Left Atrial Appendage Occluder for Tissue Sealing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Patients with atrial fibrillation are at risk for blood clots forming in the left atrial appendage, which can lead to strokes, and existing treatments like blood thinners are not tolerated by all patients or increase other risks, necessitating a method to occlude the left atrial appendage to prevent clot formation and escape.

Innovation Solution

A catheter-based occlusion device that is plastically deformable and biodegradable, expanding to occlude the left atrial appendage and degrading over time, allowing endothelialization to seal the opening after deployment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a blood thinner is administered to prevent clots in the left atrial appendage, then the risk of stroke is reduced, but the patient may not tolerate the medication or experience increased other risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestroke preventionVSAvoidmedication tolerance and side effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic area (left atrial appendage) from the circulatory system by physically removing/clipping it, eliminating the source of clot formation rather than managing it through medication. This directly addresses the contradiction by removing the harmful function (clot formation) without requiring the patient to tolerate blood thinners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of blood stasis in the left atrial appendage into a beneficial outcome by intentionally creating an occluded space that prevents clot formation. The previously harmful stagnant blood environment is transformed into a controlled, occluded space that actively prevents stroke while avoiding medication side effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Reliability

If a permanent occlusion device is implanted in the left atrial appendage, then clots cannot escape, but the device requires long-term presence in the body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclot preventionVSAvoiddevice retention time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a temporary occlusion device that degrades over time, eliminating the need for permanent implantation. The device performs its clot-prevention function during the critical healing period and then naturally degrades, allowing the body to heal without long-term foreign material. This resolves the contradiction by providing effective clot prevention without requiring permanent device retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designates the occlusion device as a temporary measure that will be discarded (degraded) after serving its purpose. The device is intended to be transient, allowing the body to recover and heal the left atrial appendage opening without the permanent presence of foreign material. This approach provides reliable clot prevention during the critical period while avoiding long-term device retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Reliability

If a biodegradable material is used for the occlusion device, then the device degrades naturally to facilitate tissue integration, but the device must be designed to degrade at the appropriate time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue integrationVSAvoiddevice degradation timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes parameter changes in the material properties to control degradation timing. By selecting materials with specific degradation rates and adjusting parameters such as material composition, cross-linking density, and molecular weight, the device is designed to maintain structural integrity during the critical healing period and then degrade at the appropriate time to facilitate tissue integration. This resolves the contradiction by enabling controlled temporal behavior of the biodegradable device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 blood clots from escaping the left atrial appendage by occluding it, reducing the risk of stroke without the need for long-term medication, and degrades naturally, facilitating tissue integration.

Implementation Method 1

the occlusion device is plastically deformable from a radially compressed configuration to a radially expanded configuration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Implementation Method 2

the occlusion device is biodegradable

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBiodegradation: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentUS20250331864A1Left atrial appendage occlusion device

Publication Date: 2025.10.30 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

An occlusion device for the left atrial appendage includes a shape memory wire, the wire including a straightened configuration in which the wire is substantially straight for delivery to the left atrial appendage and a deployed configuration in which the wire is coiled or spiral and is configured to occlude a left atrial appendage.