External Carotid Compression for Stroke Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anti-embolic devices for preventing cerebral emboli during cardiovascular surgery are invasive, complex, and ineffective in capturing smaller emboli, leading to a high risk of trauma and incomplete protection against stroke.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive, external compression device that temporarily occludes the carotid arteries using expandable members to divert emboli away from cerebral circulation, employing a pressure source to exceed systemic pressure and create a transient 'no-flow' condition, thereby preventing emboli from entering the brain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive filters or endoluminal balloons are used to prevent embolization, then embolic protection is improved, but device complexity and trauma risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing filters inside the carotid artery to capture emboli, the invention applies external compression to the carotid artery from the outside, inverting the approach from internal filtration to external occlusion. This eliminates the need for complex intravascular devices while achieving embolic protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the compression mechanism from the intravascular space and places it in the extravascular space. By removing the need for intravascular hardware and using external compression members, the device simplifies the overall system while maintaining embolic protection functionality.
2Reliability
If intravascular filters are inserted into the carotid artery, then embolic capture is improved, but trauma to the vessel wall and risk of stroke increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the approach by compressing the carotid artery from the outside rather than inserting filters from the inside. This external compression method protects against vessel wall trauma while still achieving embolic capture by creating a no-flow condition during critical phases of the cardiac cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The device applies preliminary compression to the carotid artery before emboli can enter the cerebral circulation. By pre-compressing the artery during systole or early diastole, the invention prevents emboli from entering the brain while avoiding the trauma associated with intravascular device insertion.
3Quantity of substance
If standard filters with pore sizes of 60-140 μm are used, then larger emboli are captured, but smaller microemboli pass through unchanged
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical filtration system (filters with fixed pore sizes) with a physiological control system that uses external compression to create a no-flow condition. This substitution allows capture of emboli of all sizes, including microemboli smaller than 60 μm, by preventing blood flow during the phases when emboli are most likely to enter the cerebral circulation.
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 device effectively reduces the risk of cerebral emboli and stroke by diverting emboli into the descending aorta, providing a safer and more effective alternative to invasive methods, capable of capturing emboli of all sizes, including microscopic particles.
Implementation Method 1
A non-invasive, external compression device that temporarily occludes the carotid arteries using expandable members to divert emboli away from cerebral circulation, employing a pressure source to exceed systemic pressure and create a transient 'no-flow' condition
Data Source
AI summary
A device for use in preventing stroke is provided. The device may include an expandable member that expands from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration. The expandable member is located at a neck of a patient. An associated method is provided.