Deflecting Barb Anchors for Secure Heart Valve Tissue Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heart valve implants face challenges in securely anchoring to cardiac tissue due to chronic stresses and strains from heart muscle motion, leading to potential dislodgment and reduced cardiac output.
Innovation Solution
The use of barb anchors with deflecting barb arms and helical anchors to distribute anchoring forces over a larger surface area, enhancing retention by deflecting away from the central axis during deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a simple anchor design is used, then device complexity is reduced, but anchoring strength and retention are insufficient to withstand chronic palpatory forces
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into multiple independent barb arms (typically three) that can deflect and engage tissue separately. Each barb arm acts as an independent anchoring element, distributing the anchoring load across multiple points rather than relying on a single complex structure. This segmentation provides both the necessary anchoring strength and simplifies the overall design compared to a monolithic complex anchor.
Solution Approach 2:
The barb arms transition from a linear configuration during delivery to a deflected configuration upon deployment, utilizing the third dimension (radial deflection) to increase anchoring surface area and engagement with tissue. This dimensional change allows the anchor to achieve superior retention without requiring a more complex structural design, as the deflection geometry provides the additional anchoring capability.
2Reliability
If the anchor remains in a linear configuration during delivery, then ease of delivery is improved, but anchoring retention is reduced upon deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is designed with dynamic barb arms that can change configuration from linear (during delivery) to deflected (during anchoring). This dynamic transformation is achieved through elastic or shape memory materials that allow the barb arms to deflect radially outward upon deployment, increasing anchoring retention while maintaining a streamlined linear profile during delivery for ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor is pre-configured in a linear state within the delivery catheter, allowing it to be delivered easily through the vasculature. Upon deployment, the pre-stored elastic energy or shape memory effect causes the barb arms to automatically deflect into the anchoring position, achieving reliable retention without requiring complex deployment mechanisms. The preliminary linear configuration ensures ease of delivery while the subsequent deflection provides secure anchoring.
3Area of stationary object
If barb arms deflect away from the central axis, then resistive surface area is increased, but anchor housing complexity increases to accommodate the deflection mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The barb arms are designed to deflect automatically upon deployment through their own elastic or shape memory properties, without requiring external actuation mechanisms or complex anchor housing structures. The anchor housing remains relatively simple, serving only to contain and deliver the linearly-configured anchor, while the barb arms self-deflect into the anchoring position, increasing resistive surface area without significantly increasing housing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the barb arms (elastic modulus, shape memory characteristics) are optimized to enable automatic deflection from the linear delivery configuration to the deflected anchoring configuration. By changing the material parameters rather than the structural complexity of the housing, the design achieves increased resistive surface area through barb arm deflection while maintaining a simple anchor housing structure.
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
This configuration increases the resistive surface area of the anchor, improving the retention and efficacy of the implant by securely affixing it to cardiac tissue, thereby maintaining effective cardiac function.
Implementation Method 1
a deflected configuration where at least a portion the barb arm is configured to deflect away from a central axis of the opening of the anchor housing
Data Source
AI summary
Anchoring assemblies that increase the surface area and/or amount of anchored tissue include a barb anchor, translatably disposed within the opening of an anchor housing, the barb anchor comprising a barb arm, the barb arm including a linear configuration wherein the barb arm is aligned with an axis of the opening and a deflected configuration wherein at least a portion the barb arm is deflected away from a central axis of the opening of the anchor housing.