Cardiac Valve Delivery System Attachment Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for treating mitral valve dysfunction, such as mitral valve regurgitation, prolapse, and stenosis, are invasive, painful, and require long recovery periods. Additionally, existing delivery systems for implanting cardiac valve devices are complex and difficult to navigate due to the unique anatomy of the mitral valve.

Innovation Solution

A delivery system comprising a delivery catheter with a distal attachment assembly that includes arm pairs with connectors and retainers, allowing for secure retention and precise positioning of an implantable device, such as a cardiac valve device, at the mitral valve. The system enables the device to be securely attached, repositioned, and released without exerting excessive force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional surgical approaches (open thoracotomy) are used for mitral valve replacement, then the procedure can be performed with established techniques, but the procedure becomes very painful, has significant morbidity, and requires long recovery periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocedure effectivenessVSAvoidpatient morbidity and recovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A delivery system acts as an intermediary device to transport the mitral valve prosthesis through the vascular system to the target location. The delivery catheter navigates through the femoral vein, right atrium, and into the left atrium to reach the mitral valve, avoiding the need for open thoracotomy while maintaining procedural effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical open surgical approach with a minimally invasive endovascular approach. Instead of direct surgical access through thoracotomy, the procedure uses catheter-based delivery through the venous system, substituting traumatic mechanical access with a less invasive routing method

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive endovascular approaches are used to deliver cardiac valve devices to the mitral valve, then patient morbidity and recovery time are reduced, but the delivery system becomes complex and difficult to navigate due to the unique anatomy of the mitral valve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient morbidityVSAvoiddelivery system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery system is divided into distinct functional segments: a delivery catheter for navigation, an attachment assembly with arm pairs for securing the prosthesis, and release mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while simplifying the overall system design and navigation through the complex mitral valve anatomy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attachment assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the delivery catheter and the mitral valve prosthesis. It provides a controlled interface for securing and releasing the device at the target location, simplifying the interaction between the delivery system and the complex mitral valve anatomy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If delivery systems use secure retention mechanisms for implantable devices, then the device can be securely attached and repositioned, but the system may exert excessive force on the mitral valve annulus which has limited radial support

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice retention securityVSAvoidradial force on mitral valve annulus

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment assembly is designed with local quality considerations for the mitral valve anatomy. The arm pairs and connectors provide secure retention at specific locations while distributing forces appropriately, avoiding excessive radial forces on the anterior wall which has limited support from surrounding tissue

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery system incorporates force distribution mechanisms that prevent excessive radial forces from being applied to the mitral valve annulus. The attachment assembly is designed to secure the prosthesis while cushioning against the thin anterior wall structure, preventing potential collapse of the aortic outflow tract

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS20250186205A1Delivery systems for cardiac valve devices

Publication Date: 2025.06.12 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

Delivery systems for placing an implantable cardiac device at a native comprising a delivery catheter and an attachment assembly. The delivery catheter can include a proximal portion and a distal portion, and the attachment assembly can be at the distal portion of the delivery catheter. The attachment assembly can include arm pairs in which individual arm pairs include a first arm with connector and a second arm with a retainer. Each first arm extends along a corresponding second arm, and the first arm and/or the second arm in each arm pair moves relative to the other from a locked position to a released position. In the locked position, the retainer interfaces with the connector to maintain engagement between the implantable device and the connector. In the released position, the retainer is positioned relative to the connector such that the implantable device can disengage the connector.