Deformable Aortic Valve Cusp Gauge for Precise Shape Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gauges for reconstructing aortic valve cusps fail to accurately represent the spatial shape and size, leading to inefficiencies in surgical procedures and prolonged operation times due to their rigid and inflexible nature.
Innovation Solution
A deformable gauge made from a bio-compatible material, such as a nickel-titanium alloy or memory alloy, allowing manual plastic deformation to match the anatomic shape of the cusp, with features like recesses for alignment and rounded edges for safety, enabling precise size determination and transfer to implant material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a stiff synthetic gauge is used to define the size and shape of the aortic valve cusp, then the gauge provides structural stability and ease of handling, but it fails to accurately represent the spatial shape and size of the actual cusp
Solution Approach 1:
The gauge transitions from a rigid, static structure to a dynamic, deformable structure that can adapt its shape. The catheter-based gauge can be manually deformed to match the spatial configuration of the aortic valve cusp, allowing it to conform to the actual anatomy while maintaining structural integrity through its catheter construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The gauge employs a flexible catheter structure that can be deformed manually to match the three-dimensional shape of the aortic valve cusp. This flexible construction allows the gauge to adapt to the spatial configuration of the actual valve while maintaining enough structural stability to serve as an accurate template for reconstruction.
2Productivity
If a standardized gauge set is used to determine implant size, then the surgical procedure is simplified and operation time is reduced, but the gauge fails to provide the exact shape and size required by actual anatomic conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The gauge allows rapid adaptation to different anatomic conditions through manual deformation. The surgeon can quickly adjust the gauge's shape to match the actual cusp geometry, combining the speed of standardized gauges with the adaptability needed for precise anatomic matching.
Solution Approach 2:
The gauge's physical parameters (shape, size, curvature) can be changed manually to match the specific anatomic conditions of each patient. This allows the same gauge device to adapt to various cusp configurations while maintaining rapid assessment capability.
3Shape
If a rigid gauge is used as a template for implant material, then the gauge maintains its shape for accurate transfer, but it cannot be deformed to match the spatial shape of the actual cusp
Solution Approach 1:
The gauge can be deformed to match the spatial shape of the actual cusp during the assessment phase, then maintained in that deformed state for accurate template work. The catheter construction allows the gauge to hold its deformed shape sufficiently well to serve as a precise template for cutting and shaping the implant material.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible catheter construction allows the gauge to conform to the three-dimensional shape of the cusp while maintaining enough structural integrity to serve as an accurate template. The thin-walled catheter structure can be deformed to match the spatial configuration and then hold that shape for precise shape transfer to the implant material.
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
Facilitates faster and more precise reconstruction of the aortic valve cusp, reducing operation duration and improving surgical efficiency by allowing manual deformation and accurate shape transfer to the implant material.
Implementation Method 1
the gauge (10) is made from a material that can be deformed in a plastic fashion upon manual force being applied
Implementation Method 2
the gauge (10) is made from a nickel-titanium alloy
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a gauge for the reconstruction of a cusp of an aortic valve, with the gauge (10) being made from a material that can be deformed in a plastic fashion using manual force.