Embolic Coil Inflection Regions for Delivery Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The delivery of complex embolic coils used to treat aneurysms is hindered by inflection regions that cause 'kicks' or jumps in the coil and delivery catheter, leading to potential misplacement from the target site due to their complex secondary shape adopting after release from the catheter.
Innovation Solution
The embolic coil is designed with larger primary-wind diameter regions at selective locations to increase flexibility and reduce stiffness in inflection regions, allowing it to adopt its secondary shape uniformly during delivery and deployment, minimizing jumps and improving targeting accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the coil is designed with a complex secondary shape to frame the periphery of the aneurysm and fill the space, then the treatment effectiveness is improved, but inflection regions create kicks or jumps during delivery causing misplacement from the target site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating inflection regions with specific geometric characteristics (larger diameter, different winding density) at particular locations along the coil where wind direction changes. These localized modifications allow the coil to maintain its complex secondary shape for effective aneurysm framing while reducing the harmful kicks and jumps during delivery at the critical inflection points.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coil adopts its complex secondary shape after release from the catheter, then the coil can effectively frame the aneurysm periphery, but the inflection regions cause kicks or jumps that displace the catheter and coil from the target treatment site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the coil with its complex secondary shape and inflection regions during manufacturing before delivery. The coil is heat-set and shaped in advance so that when it is released from the catheter, it naturally adopts the desired complex configuration to frame the aneurysm, while the pre-designed inflection regions minimize delivery instability.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform helical loops are used to form the coil, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the coil cannot effectively adapt to the complex geometry of the aneurysm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the coil into distinct segments with different geometric characteristics. Instead of uniform helical loops throughout, the coil contains multiple inflection regions with varying winding densities, diameters, and orientations. This segmented approach allows each region to be optimized for specific functions while maintaining overall manufacturability through a systematic winding process.
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
The design enhances the coil's flexibility and reduces stiffness at inflection points, reducing unwanted tactile feedback and minimizing the risk of coil misplacement during delivery, thereby improving the precision and effectiveness of aneurysm treatment.
Implementation Method 1
the coil adopts its primary shape during delivery through a catheter... the coil adopts its secondary, complex shape after being released from the catheter
Implementation Method 2
an inflection region in the secondary, complex shape of the coil utilizes a larger primary-shape diameter to increase flexibility within the region
Data Source
AI summary
An embolic coil with a secondary, delivered shape utilizing regions of varying stiffness is described. In some embodiments, these regions of varying stiffness are created by utilizing a larger primary wind loop diameter to create selective regions with lower stiffness and higher flexibility. In some embodiments, these regions of higher flexibility correspond to inflection regions on a complex coil shape to ease deliverability of the coil during therapeutic procedures.