Clot Retrieval Device with Inverted Flexible Cover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical procedures for removing clot material from blood vessels face challenges such as dislodging fragments that can cause further obstruction, trauma to vessel walls, and incomplete clot removal due to the size and design of existing retrieval devices, particularly in complex vascular anatomy.

Innovation Solution

A clot retrieving device with an elongated shaft and a retrieval assembly featuring a flexible cover and capture structure that deploys within the blood vessel to ensheath and remove clot material, utilizing a braid or mesh design with superelastic materials to minimize trauma and ensure complete clot capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a stent is used to push the clot to the side of the vessel, then blood flow is re-established, but the clot may dislodge and fragment causing further obstruction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclot removal efficiencyVSAvoidvessel trauma and clot fragmentation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of pushing the clot forward with a stent, the invention uses a retrieval device that captures and pulls the clot backward toward the access site, inverting the direction of force application to minimize fragmentation and vessel trauma

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The retrieval device employs a flexible capture structure with a low-profile design that can conform to the vessel geometry, allowing it to engage and retrieve the clot without causing excessive trauma or fragmentation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If the retrieval device is made larger to capture complete clot, then clot capture effectiveness improves, but the device becomes difficult to navigate through tortuous anatomy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclot capture completenessVSAvoiddevice navigability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The retrieval device features a dynamic structure that transitions from a compressed low-profile configuration for navigation to an expanded configuration for clot capture, allowing it to adapt its size to the procedural requirements at different stages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The capture structure is designed to nest within a delivery catheter in a compressed state, allowing it to pass through tortuous anatomy, and then expand at the target site to achieve complete clot capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If the stent is dragged through the vasculature to remove the clot, then the procedure is easy to perform, but the stent may strip the cellular lining causing hemorrhagic stroke

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocedure simplicityVSAvoidvessel lining trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The retrieval device uses a flexible capture structure with a low-profile design that can be advanced through the vasculature without stripping the vessel lining, eliminating the need to drag a rigid stent through the vessel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 retrieves clot material with reduced risk of dislodging fragments and vascular trauma, allowing for efficient removal of occlusions from blood vessels while maintaining structural integrity and facilitating repositioning within the vessel.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing a braid or mesh design with superelastic materials to minimize trauma and ensure complete clot capture

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuperelasticity: Pseudoelasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11684379B2Retrieval of material from vessel lumens

Publication Date: 2023.06.27 COVIDIEN LP

AI summary

Devices for removing clot material from a blood vessel lumen and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. A clot retrieving device may include, for example, an elongated shaft, a capture structure having a proximal portion and a distal portion, and a cover having a first portion coupled to the elongated shaft and a second portion extending from the first portion. The cover may have an inverted configuration in which the capture structure is at least partially ensheathed within the first portion of the cover and the second portion of the cover extends distally from the first portion. In the inverted configuration, the second portion may have (a) a first region distal to a distal terminus of the capture structure, the first region tapering radially inwardly in a distal direction, and (b) a second region extending distally and radially outwardly from the first region.