ECM Vascular Prosthesis Anchoring for Tissue Regeneration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vascular prostheses face issues such as intimal hyperplasia, harsh biological responses, ineffective vessel securing, inflammation, and infection, along with mechanical incompatibility and rapid degradation of bioabsorbable materials, leading to complications and the need for additional surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The use of extracellular matrix (ECM) materials derived from mammalian tissues, combined with biocompatible anchoring mechanisms like expandable anchors and microneedle members, to create a vascular prosthesis that promotes tissue regeneration, reduces inflammation, and administers pharmacological agents, ensuring mechanical compatibility and controlled degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional polymeric materials (e.g., PET) are used to construct vascular prostheses, then structural strength and durability are improved, but harsh biological responses and tissue irritation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional synthetic polymers to bioabsorbable polymers with specific degradation rates. This allows the prosthesis to provide structural support initially, then gradually degrade as native tissue regenerates, eliminating long-term foreign body responses while maintaining necessary mechanical strength during the critical healing period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite structures combining bioabsorbable polymer materials with specific surface coatings or layered configurations. This allows the bulk material to provide structural strength while surface modifications reduce biological irritation and promote endothelialization, resolving the contradiction between durability and biocompatibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If bioabsorbable and biodegradable materials are used to construct vascular prostheses, then harsh biological responses are reduced, but the materials break down at a faster rate than desirable and form large rigid fragments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects and tunes the chemical composition, molecular weight, and crosslinking density of bioabsorbable polymers to achieve controlled degradation rates that match the tissue regeneration timeline. This prevents premature breakdown while ensuring complete resorption before fragment formation becomes problematic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous or microstructured bioabsorbable materials that degrade through controlled erosion and hydrolysis pathways. The porous structure increases surface area for gradual degradation, prevents formation of large rigid fragments by creating smaller degradation products, and allows tissue ingrowth to reinforce the structure during the degradation process.
3Strength
If physical or mechanical means are used to secure the prosthesis to surrounding tissues, then anchoring strength is improved, but intimal hyperplasia and vessel trauma occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces aggressive mechanical anchoring systems (such as sharp barbs or rigid fixation elements) with softer, more compliant anchoring mechanisms that distribute forces over larger areas. This substitution reduces stress concentration on the vessel wall, minimizing endothelial damage and the subsequent intimalhyperplasia response while maintaining adequate anchoring strength through friction and tissue ingrowth.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If the prosthesis is designed for permanent placement to maintain vessel patency, then long-term structural support is improved, but the need for secondary surgical procedures increases due to poor patency or harsh biological responses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs bioabsorbable materials that are designed to temporarily fulfill the prosthesis function during the critical healing period, then naturally degrade and be absorbed by the body. This eliminates the need for permanent foreign bodies and reduces the likelihood of long-term complications requiring secondary procedures, effectively making the prosthesis a temporary solution that disappears after serving its purpose.
Data Source
AI summary
A vascular prosthesis comprising a tubular shaped expandable ECM member and at least one anchoring mechanism. In one embodiment, the anchoring mechanism comprises proximal and distal single or dual-ring anchors. In one embodiment, the anchoring mechanism comprises a multiple-ring anchor. The anchors preferably comprise a biodegradable metal, such as magnesium. The anchors can also comprise a shape memory alloy, such as nitinol, and a cross-linked ECM material. In some embodiments, the ECM member includes a pharmacological agent.