Collapsible Prosthetic Atrioventricular Valve Frame for Smaller Catheters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prosthetic heart valves designed for tricuspid and mitral valves have a large size when collapsed, requiring delivery devices with a larger diameter, increasing the risk of vascular access complications during minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic heart valve with a collapsible and expandable frame, featuring a single support stent and elastic members that allow the valve to collapse to a small size for delivery while expanding to a large enough footprint for anchoring in the native valve annulus, using elastic members to urge outer fabric radially outward for enhanced sealing and anchoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a double-stented design with large outer frame is used to accommodate the large size of mitral and tricuspid valves, then the prosthetic valve can engage the native annulus effectively, but the collapsed profile becomes larger requiring a larger delivery device
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into two functional components: an outer frame for engaging the native annulus and an inner frame for housing the valve leaflets. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the outer frame provides sufficient engagement area while the inner frame minimizes collapsed profile, resolving the contradiction between large engagement area and small collapsed size.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner frame is nested within the outer frame, creating a compact configuration during delivery. This nesting arrangement allows the prosthetic valve to achieve a smaller collapsed profile that can be accommodated in smaller delivery devices, while still providing sufficient outer frame area for effective annulus engagement when deployed.
2Strength
If a larger delivery device is used to accommodate the large collapsed prosthetic valve, then the valve can be delivered with sufficient structural integrity, but the risk of vascular access complications increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the frame into outer and inner components, the structural integrity is maintained through the robust outer frame while the overall collapsed size is reduced by the compact nested configuration. This allows delivery through smaller catheters without compromising valve strength, thereby reducing vascular access complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of flexible materials and thin-film structures in the frame design allows the prosthetic valve to collapse to a smaller profile while maintaining structural integrity. The flexibility enables compression during delivery through smaller catheters without causing vascular access complications, while the structural design ensures adequate strength for effective deployment.
3Length of moving object
If multiple steps and multiple delivery system devices are used to achieve adequate compression, then the valve can be delivered through smaller catheters, but the time and complexity of the procedure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outer frame and inner frame are combined into a single integrated prosthetic valve assembly that can be delivered through one catheter. This merging of components eliminates the need for multiple delivery devices and complex multi-step procedures, while still achieving the necessary compression for small catheter delivery through the nested configuration.
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 design enables the prosthetic heart valve to be delivered through a smaller catheter, reducing procedural complications and ensuring effective anchoring and sealing within the native tricuspid or mitral valve annulus.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more members may be elastic members. The one or more members may be formed of silicone or thermoplastic polyurethane. In the expanded condition of the frame, the one or more elastic members may be under tension. The one or more elastic members may have a length capable of stretching between 100% and about 500% upon the frame transitioning from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition.
Data Source
AI summary
A prosthetic heart valve for replacing a native atrioventricular valve may include a collapsible and expandable frame including an atrial disk, a ventricular disk, and a center portion extending between the atrial disk and the ventricular disk. A plurality of prosthetic leaflets may be mounted inside the frame, and an outer fabric may be coupled to the frame, the outer fabric extending from the atrial disk to the ventricular disk. One or more members may each have opposite ends coupled to the atrial and ventricular disk, and a center portion that is not coupled to the central portion of the frame. The one or more members may be positioned radially inward of the outer fabric. As the frame expands from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition, the one or more members urge the outer fabric radially outwardly relative to a central longitudinal axis of the frame.