Intravascular Blood Pump Anchoring With Tether and Power Lead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular blood pumps face challenges in securely anchoring and efficiently delivering and retrieving devices within blood vessels, particularly in maintaining position and facilitating electrical and mechanical communication with external control systems.
Innovation Solution
A medical system featuring a blood flow assist device with a pump, power lead, and tether, supported by struts that intermittently contact the vessel wall, allowing secure anchoring and electrical communication through a power lead and mechanical support via a tether, facilitated by a delivery and retrieval system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single access site is used for delivering intravascular blood pumps, then the delivery procedure is simplified, but the device cannot be securely anchored and both electrical and mechanical functions cannot be simultaneously maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the access into two separate vascular access sites: one for delivering the pump and another for anchoring the device. This segmentation allows independent optimization of delivery simplicity and anchoring security without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
A tether is introduced as an intermediary element that extends from the pump to an anchoring location outside the blood vessel. The tether mediates between the pump and the external anchoring system, providing secure fixation while allowing the pump to remain positioned within the vessel lumen.
2Reliability
If the pump is positioned within the blood vessel for effective blood pumping, then blood flow support is achieved, but electrical communication with external control systems becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A power lead serves as an intermediary conduit that extends from the pump through the blood vessel wall to an external control system. This mediator enables electrical communication and power transmission without requiring the pump to be removed from its functional position within the vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connection is established by extending the power lead in a direction transverse to the blood flow, creating a three-dimensional pathway that exits the vessel wall. This dimensional approach separates the electrical communication pathway from the blood pumping function, allowing both to operate independently.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the pump is securely anchored within the blood vessel, then positioning stability is improved, but retrieval and repositioning of the device becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The tether is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to be securely anchored during operation but easily released when retrieval is needed. The anchoring mechanism transitions from a fixed secure state to a releasable state, enabling both stable positioning and easy retrieval as required by different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether is pre-positioned and anchored before the pump requires permanent implantation. This preliminary anchoring provides immediate stability during initial deployment, and the tether remains in place to facilitate controlled retrieval or repositioning if clinical conditions change.
4Reliability
If separate vascular access sites are used for pump delivery and anchoring, then secure anchoring and electrical communication are achieved, but the procedure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The procedure is segmented into distinct steps: pump delivery through one access site, followed by tether anchoring through a second access site. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently and performed by specialized operators, reducing overall procedural complexity despite the additional access site.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical anchoring security, maintains pump positioning stability, and facilitates future retrieval or repositioning. This multi-functionality justifies the additional procedural step by consolidating multiple requirements into a single element.
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
Enables stable positioning and efficient operation of intravascular devices within blood vessels, ensuring secure anchoring, effective blood pumping, and ease of delivery and retrieval, while maintaining electrical and mechanical communication with external systems.
Implementation Method 1
an impeller disposed in the pump housing
Implementation Method 2
a motor operatively coupled with the impeller
Implementation Method 3
the contact element configured to at least intermittently contact a wall of a blood vessel
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system can include: a pump disposed along a longitudinal axis of the blood flow assist system and comprising an impeller disposed in a pump housing; a power lead coupled with a first end portion of the pump; and a tether coupled with a second end portion of the pump opposite to the first end portion. During operation of the blood flow assist system with the pump disposed within a blood vessel, the power lead can be configured to extend from within the blood vessel within which the pump is disposed to outside a first vascular access site to couple to a control system and the tether can be configured to extend from within the blood vessel within which the pump is disposed to an anchoring location disposed away from the second end portion.