Braided Permeable Shell for Stable Aneurysm Embolization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for cerebral aneurysms, such as surgical techniques and current vaso-occlusive devices, are invasive, risky, or ineffective in maintaining long-term blockage of blood flow due to deformation or compaction, and stents often fail to adequately cover the aneurysm neck, leading to recanalization.
Innovation Solution
A self-expanding permeable shell with a braided structure, configured for delivery through a microcatheter, expands to anchor within a vascular defect, providing stable blockage and allowing initial perfusion to promote thrombus formation and healing, while resisting deformation from blood pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical techniques are used to treat cerebral aneurysms, then effective blockage of blood flow is achieved, but the procedure becomes highly invasive with extended anesthesia time and high patient risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a delivery catheter as an intermediary device to transport the embolic composition directly to the aneurysm site through the bloodstream, eliminating the need for open surgical access. This intermediary approach allows the therapeutic agent to reach the target internally through a minimally invasive route, resolving the contradiction between effective treatment and patient risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical surgical clipping system with a chemical/biological embolic composition delivered via catheter. Instead of mechanically clamping the aneurysm neck with a surgical clip, the treatment uses an embolic material that occludes the aneurysm through thrombosis promotion, substituting a mechanical intervention with a less invasive material-based approach.
2Reliability
If conventional vaso-occlusive coils are used, then embolization is achieved, but the devices suffer from poor packing density, compaction under hydrodynamic pressure, and instability in wide-necked aneurysms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the embolic material by formulating a composite composition with specific viscosity, particle size distribution, and rheological properties. This optimized composition maintains structural integrity under hydrodynamic pressure while achieving stable packing in the aneurysm cavity, resolving the contradiction between embolization effectiveness and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite embolic composition combining multiple materials with complementary properties, including thrombogenic agents, structural support materials, and flow-modifying components. This composite approach provides both immediate occlusion and long-term stability, preventing the compaction and migration issues seen with conventional single-material coils.
3Reliability
If stents are used to maintain blood flow through the vessel, then blood flow is preserved, but the stent density must be reduced to fit through microcatheters, resulting in insufficient aneurysm neck coverage and recanalization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the stent and embolic material into a single integrated treatment approach. Rather than relying solely on a dense stent structure to cover the aneurysm neck, the embolic composition is delivered through the stent mesh to provide additional occlusion. This combination allows for both blood flow preservation and adequate aneurysm isolation without requiring excessive stent density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic delivery system where the embolic composition is injected through the stent after deployment, allowing the treatment to adapt to the actual aneurysm morphology. The embolic material can be adjusted in volume and distribution to achieve optimal neck coverage, providing a dynamic solution that overcomes the static limitations of fixed-density stent designs.
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 permeable shell effectively isolates the vascular defect from blood flow, reducing pressure and promoting healing, with enhanced stability and flexibility for long-term blockage without deformation.
Implementation Method 1
A self-expanding permeable shell with a braided structure, configured for delivery through a microcatheter, expands to anchor within a vascular defect
Implementation Method 2
providing stable blockage and allowing initial perfusion to promote thrombus formation and healing
Data Source
AI summary
A device for treatment of a vascular defect within a patient's vasculature includes a self-expanding permeable shell having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis, the shell comprising a plurality of elongate resilient filaments having a braided structure, wherein the filaments are secured at at least one of the proximal end or the distal end of the permeable shell, wherein the permeable shell has a radially constrained elongated state configured for delivery within a microcatheter and has an expanded state with an axially shortened configuration relative to the radially constrained state, the permeable shell having a plurality of openings formed between the braided filaments, wherein the permeable shell in its expanded state comprises a plurality of circumferentially-arrayed lobes.