Curved-Arm Papillary Muscle Approximation for Mitral Regurgitation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Heart valve dysfunction, particularly mitral regurgitation, occurs due to improper coaptation of valve leaflets caused by altered papillary muscle positions, often resulting from ventricular dilation, which leads to blood flow back into the atrium.

Innovation Solution

Devices and methods for manipulating papillary muscles using curved distal papillary-muscle-circumscribing arms and muscle-approximating bands to improve valve leaflet coaptation, along with spacer instruments to establish distance between papillary muscles, facilitating minimally invasive procedures on a beating heart.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional surgical intervention is used to correct papillary muscle position, then valve leaflet coaptation can be improved, but the procedure becomes more invasive and complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve leaflet coaptationVSAvoidsurgical intervention complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a delivery catheter as an intermediary device to transport the papillary muscle approximation device to the target location within the heart. This mediator enables minimally invasive delivery of the correction device through vascular access, avoiding the need for open-heart surgery while still achieving effective papillary muscle repositioning and improved valve coaptation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical surgical approaches (direct manual manipulation during open surgery) with a catheter-based delivery system that uses navigational and deployment mechanisms to achieve the same mechanical effect of repositioning papillary muscles, thereby reducing invasiveness while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If open-heart surgery is performed to manipulate papillary muscles, then proper valve function can be restored, but patient risk and procedure time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve function restorationVSAvoidprocedure time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The papillary muscle approximation device is designed to be self-deploying and self-adjusting once delivered via the catheter. The device automatically positions and secures the papillary muscles in the correct configuration without requiring prolonged surgical manipulation, thereby reducing procedure time while ensuring proper valve function restoration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The device is pre-configured and pre-positioned on the delivery catheter before insertion, allowing for rapid deployment at the target site. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex intraoperative assembly or positioning adjustments, significantly reducing the time required to restore proper valve function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250281298A1Papillary muscle approximation

Publication Date: 2025.09.11 EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORP

AI summary

A surgical device includes a handle, a shaft extending distally from the handle, and a curved arm projecting from a distal end of the shaft. The surgical device can be used for papillary muscle approximation procedures.