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 embolic particles, 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 pressurized expandable members to divert emboli away from cerebral circulation, preventing their entry into the brain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive filters or endoluminal balloons are used to prevent cerebral emboli, then embolic protection is improved, but device complexity and invasiveness increase leading to additional trauma risk
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing a filter inside the carotid artery to catch emboli, the invention applies external compression to the carotid artery to temporarily stop blood flow and divert emboli away from the cerebral circulation. This inverts the approach from internal filtration to external occlusion and diversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the embolic protection function from the intravascular space and relocates it to the extravascular space by using external compression devices applied to the neck, eliminating the need for intravascular hardware.
2Reliability
If intravascular filters are used to capture emboli, then embolic capture is improved, but pore size limitations prevent capture of smaller particles leading to incomplete protection
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical filtration system (filters with pores) with a mechanical occlusion system (external compression). Instead of relying on pore size to filter emboli, the compression device temporarily stops carotid blood flow entirely, preventing all emboli regardless of size from reaching the brain.
3Ease of operation
If guide wire insertion is performed for filter placement, then device deployment is improved, but microtrauma to aorta generates approximately 40,000 microemboli increasing stroke risk
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the embolic protection function from the intravascular space and relocates it to the extravascular space by using external compression devices applied to the neck, eliminating the need for intravascular hardware and guide wire manipulation that generates microemboli.
Solution Approach 2:
The external compression device is applied before emboligenic interventions to prevent emboli from entering the cerebral circulation in the first place, rather than attempting to capture them after they are generated by intravascular maneuvers.
4Ease of operation
If aortic cannula is used to insert intra-aortic filter, then filter placement is improved, but major trauma to aortic wall and acute aortic dissection occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the embolic protection function from the intravascular space and relocates it to the extravascular space by using external compression devices applied to the neck, eliminating the need for aortic cannulation and direct aortic wall manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The external compression device acts as an intermediary between the emboli source (heart and aorta) and the cerebral circulation, preventing emboli from reaching the brain without requiring direct interaction with the aortic wall or intravascular hardware placement.
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 pressurized compression device that induces temporary noninvasive external extravascular compression and occlusion of carotid arteries
Data Source
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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.