Dynamic Tissue Anchor for Cardiac Implant Securement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices used for cardiac treatments, such as annuloplasty, face challenges in anchoring and securing implants within soft heart tissue without migration or tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A tissue anchor with a proximal and distal end, featuring an anchor head and shaft, including a drive portion and a tissue-engaging portion that shifts between an insertion configuration and a tissue-engaging configuration to enhance securement within the tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the anchor is designed with a fixed configuration, then the structure is simple, but the engagement with tissue is insufficient and migration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor shaft is designed with a tissue-engaging portion that can dynamically change configuration between an insertion configuration (collapsible) and an engaged configuration (expanded). This dynamic transformation allows the anchor to adapt to different operational phases: compact during insertion and expanded for secure tissue engagement, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and engagement reliability
2Reliability
If the anchor shaft is expanded to enhance tissue engagement, then the securement improves, but the insertion difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor shaft is segmented into a drive portion and a tissue-engaging portion that can move independently relative to each other. The tissue-engaging portion can be collapsed during insertion to reduce profile and facilitate easy insertion, then expanded after insertion to provide secure tissue engagement. This segmentation allows the anchor to optimize for either insertion ease or securement at different operational stages
Solution Approach 2:
The tissue-engaging portion is designed to nest within or alongside the drive portion during the insertion phase, creating a compact profile that facilitates easy insertion. After insertion, the tissue-engaging portion is deployed outward from the drive portion to expand and engage the tissue securely, effectively resolving the contradiction between insertion ease and securement strength
3Reliability
If the anchor is made with a simple structure, then the manufacturing is easier, but the migration resistance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor employs a dynamic configuration change mechanism where the tissue-engaging portion transforms from a collapsed insertion configuration to an expanded engaged configuration. This dynamic capability provides superior migration resistance when engaged, while the manufacturing complexity remains manageable because the same components serve dual purposes during different operational phases
4Ease of operation
If the anchor shaft remains collapsed, then the insertion is facilitated, but the tissue engagement is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor shaft is designed to dynamically transition between a collapsed insertion configuration that facilitates easy insertion and an expanded engaged configuration that provides sufficient tissue engagement. The tissue-engaging portion moves relative to the drive portion to achieve this transformation, ensuring optimal performance for each operational phase
Data Source
AI summary
A tissue anchor for securing an implantable device to tissue such as soft tissue. The anchor includes a tissue-engaging portion having a tissue-engaging configuration which enhances, improves, increases, etc., the engagement, grasp, purchase, etc. of the anchor with the body tissue in which the anchor is implanted. In some embodiments, the tissue-engaging portion cinches or pinches or compresses tissue between sections of the tissue-engaging portion to grab onto or otherwise engage tissue. In some embodiments, a section of the tissue-engaging portion expands or otherwise extends away from the other portions of the anchor to increase engagement of the anchor with the tissue. In some embodiments, a section of the tissue-engaging portion may flare outwardly to drive further into tissue in a direction transverse to other portions of the anchor.