Collapsible Catheter Blood Pump Scaffold for Aortic Valve Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ventricular support devices and blood pumps face challenges in providing effective cardiac support during procedures like balloon angioplasty and stent delivery, particularly for patients with compromised cardiac function, as they may cause damage to the aortic valve and lack the flexibility to adapt to the vasculature.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible intravascular blood pump with a collapsible scaffold and impellers, featuring separate proximal and distal scaffold sections with varying flexibility, allowing for a smaller delivery profile and reduced damage to the aortic valve by minimizing point stresses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid scaffold is used to provide structural support for the blood pump, then the pump can maintain its shape and provide stable blood flow, but the device cannot be delivered through small vascular access and causes damage to the aortic valve

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural supportVSAvoiddelivery profile
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The scaffold is divided into multiple discrete sections (first scaffold section, second scaffold section, third scaffold section) that can be independently collapsed and expanded. This segmentation allows the scaffold to be compressed to a small delivery profile for percutaneous insertion while maintaining structural integrity when deployed to provide stable blood flow support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The scaffold transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic collapsible structure that can change its configuration between delivery and operational states. The collapsible sections allow the scaffold to be compressed during delivery and then expanded at the target site, resolving the contradiction between small delivery profile and structural support capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a collapsible scaffold with varying flexibility is used, then the device can adapt to vasculature and reduce valve damage, but the structural support and stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevasculature adaptabilityVSAvoidblood flow stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Different sections of the scaffold have different flexibility characteristics, with the central section being more flexible to adapt to vasculature geometry and the end sections providing greater rigidity for structural support. This local variation in flexibility allows the scaffold to simultaneously achieve vasculature adaptability and blood flow stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The scaffold is segmented into multiple sections with different flexibility properties, allowing each section to independently adapt to local anatomical conditions while collectively maintaining overall structural stability for stable blood flow support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If traditional non-collapsible blood pumps are used, then the pump can provide continuous blood flow support, but the device causes damage to the aortic valve and requires surgical intervention

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblood flow supportVSAvoidvalve damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The scaffold's dynamic collapsible design allows the blood pump to be delivered percutaneously through small vascular access without requiring surgical intervention, while maintaining the capability to provide continuous blood flow support when deployed. This eliminates the harmful effect of valve damage associated with traditional surgical approaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The collapsible scaffold structure functions as a flexible shell that can be compressed for minimally invasive delivery and then expanded to provide structural support for continuous blood flow, replacing the need for rigid non-collapsible structures that cause valve damage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP4034184B1Catheter blood pumps and collapsible blood conduits
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 SUPIRA MEDICAL INC
  • EP4034184B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4034184B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B
  • EP4034184B1 patent drawingFigure 3C~3D

AI summary

Catheter blood pumps that include an expandable pump portion. The pump portions include a collapsible blood conduit that defines a blood lumen. The collapsible blood conduits include a collapsible scaffold adapted to provide radial support to the blood conduit. The pump portion also includes one or more impellers.