Biodegradable Vascular Filter for Pulmonary Embolism Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vascular filters, both permanent and temporary, face issues such as increased risk of recurrent deep vein thrombosis, filter occlusion, migration, and complications like hematoma and infection, due to their design and material, which do not allow for safe removal without causing vascular damage or emboli.
Innovation Solution
An absorbable vascular filter made from non-metallic synthetic polymers that biodegrade sequentially, eliminating the need for removal and reducing the risk of thrombosis by capturing emboli within a body vessel, with a planned degradation schedule to prevent pulmonary embolism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional permanent vascular filters are used, then pulmonary embolism is prevented, but the risk of recurrent deep vein thrombosis increases and filter removal causes vascular damage
Solution Approach 1:
The filter material undergoes parameter change from non-degradable to biodegradable polymer composition, allowing the filter to maintain structural integrity during the critical prophylaxis period (7-35 days) and then progressively degrade to eliminate thrombogenic surfaces and allow safe removal without surgical intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The vascular filter is designed as a temporary, single-use device with a predetermined service life matching the clinical prophylaxis duration. The biodegradable polymer structure is intended to fulfill its protective function and then naturally degrade, eliminating the need for permanent implantation or complex retrieval procedures
2Reliability
If conventional temporary vascular filters are used, then pulmonary embolism is prevented, but filter occlusion, migration, and complications like hematoma and infection occur
Solution Approach 1:
The filter employs biodegradable polymer material that changes its physical and chemical parameters over time, progressively degrading to reduce surface area for thrombus formation and eliminate the foreign body effect that causes infection and inflammation, while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength during the critical protection period
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful permanent metal components are extracted and replaced with biodegradable organic polymers that can be naturally metabolized and eliminated by the body, removing the source of long-term complications while preserving the temporary embolic protection function
3Reliability
If long-term filter placement is used, then pulmonary embolism prevention is maintained, but paradoxical increase in deep vein thrombosis occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The filter transitions from a static permanent structure to a dynamic biodegrading system that actively changes its properties over time, progressively reducing its thrombogenic surface area and mechanical presence in the vessel, thereby eliminating the long-term pro-thrombotic effect while maintaining short-term protection
Solution Approach 2:
The filter is designed with predetermined degradation kinetics that match the clinical course of hypercoagulability after trauma or surgery, providing maximum protection when thrombus risk is highest and then automatically reducing its presence as the body's natural anticoagulant mechanisms restore normal hemostasis
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 absorbable vascular filter effectively prevents pulmonary embolism by capturing emboli and biodegrading within a scheduled timeframe, reducing the paradoxical increase in deep vein thrombosis associated with long-term filter placement and avoiding complications related to metal filters, such as migration and fracture.
Implementation Method 1
The absorbable vascular filter, according to certain aspects of the invention, temporarily prevents pulmonary embolism by capturing and restraining emboli
Implementation Method 2
the absorbable vascular filter disclosed herein is slowly biodegraded within the vessel according to a planned schedule engineered by the choice of absorbable filter materials
Data Source
Figure 1a~1e
Figure 2a~2h
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
An absorbable vascular filter is disclosed for deployment within a vessel for temporary filtering of body fluids. A preferred embodiment is the placement of such absorbable vascular filter within the inferior vena cava (IVC) to filter emboli for the prevention of pulmonary embolism for a limited duration in time. Once protection from PE is complete, the filter is biodegraded according to a planned schedule determined by the absorption properties of the filter components. Hence the temporary absorbable vascular filter obviates the long term complications of permanent IVC filters such as increased deep vein thrombosis, neighboring organ puncture from filter fracture and embolization while also circumventing the removal requirement of metal retrievable IVC filters.