Covered Flow-Diverter Stent for Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endovascular devices face challenges in effectively treating intracranial aneurysms and carotid cavernous fistulas, as they often fail to divert blood flow away from aneurysms or fistulas while ensuring blood flow to critical adjacent arteries, leading to complications such as endoleaks and thrombosis.
Innovation Solution
An endovascular stent device with a flow-diverting portion covered by a non-permeable or selectively permeable material, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) coated with a hydrogel, is designed to divert blood flow away from aneurysms or fistulas, promoting thrombus formation while allowing blood flow to healthy adjacent arteries, thereby reducing the risk of endoleaks and improving treatment efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a covered stent is used to divert blood flow away from aneurysms, then flow diversion efficacy is improved, but the risk of thrombosis in the covered portion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stent structure implements local quality by having different portions with different properties: the flow diverter portion is covered to divert blood flow away from the aneurysm, while the proximal and distal portions are uncovered to maintain blood flow and prevent thrombosis. This localized differentiation allows the device to simultaneously achieve effective flow diversion and thrombosis prevention in different regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent is segmented into distinct functional zones: a covered flow diverter portion for flow diversion and uncovered proximal/distal portions for maintaining patency. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between flow diversion efficacy and thrombosis risk.
2Reliability
If the covered portion of the stent is made longer to improve flow diversion, then aneurysm coverage is improved, but the risk of endoleak and thrombosis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stent applies local quality by extending the covered portion only over the aneurysm sac while keeping the entry and exit portions uncovered. This localized covering strategy provides adequate aneurysm coverage to prevent endoleak while avoiding excessive coverage that would increase thrombosis risk in the access and egress regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent implements partial action by covering only the necessary portion of the vessel that corresponds to the aneurysm sac, rather than covering the entire stent length. This partial covering approach provides sufficient flow diversion for aneurysm treatment while minimizing the covered surface area that could promote thrombosis.
3Reliability
If a non-permeable material is used for the flow diverter, then flow diversion is improved, but blood flow to adjacent arteries is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The stent implements local quality by using non-permeable covered material only at the flow diverter portion where flow diversion is needed, while using permeable uncovered material at the proximal and distal portions where blood flow to adjacent arteries must be maintained. This spatial differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between effective flow diversion and preservation of adjacent artery patency.
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 treats intracranial aneurysms and carotid cavernous fistulas by diverting blood flow and promoting thrombus formation within the aneurysm or fistula, reducing the risk of endoleaks and improving treatment outcomes, while ensuring blood flow to critical adjacent arteries.
Implementation Method 1
the flow-diverting portion of the circumference is covered by a flow-diverting material... designed to divert blood flow away from aneurysms or fistulas, promoting thrombus formation while allowing blood flow to healthy adjacent arteries
Implementation Method 2
coated with a hydrogel... promoting thrombus formation while allowing blood flow to healthy adjacent arteries
Data Source
AI summary
The described invention provides an endovascular stent device comprising a tubular structure comprising a circumference; wherein a flow-diverting portion of the circumference is covered by a flow-diverting material; a length (l) from a proximal end to a distal end; and an inner diameter (d); wherein the flow-diverting portion of the circumference comprises a length (l′); and the flow-diverting portion of the circumference covers at least 1% to at least 100% of the endovascular stent device. According to some embodiments, the flow-diverting material is adapted to increase blood vessel wall adherence and minimize risk of an endoleak.