Endoluminal Prosthesis Helical Member Lumen Patency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoluminal prostheses face challenges in maintaining flexibility while preserving the integrity of the inner lumen in tortuous anatomies, and they often suffer from kinking and occlusion issues when bent or curved.
Innovation Solution
The development of an endoluminal prosthesis with a preform design featuring a helically shaped elongate member wrapped around a graft, with strategically placed peak and valley bends that form apices connecting circumferentially adjacent struts, providing torque and tension folds that maintain the lumen open and prevent kinking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the endoluminal prosthesis is made rigid to maintain lumen integrity, then the structural strength is improved, but the flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthesis is divided into multiple discrete struts rather than a continuous rigid structure. These segmented struts are arranged in a specific geometric pattern that allows individual movement while maintaining overall structural integrity, enabling the prosthesis to bend and flex without compromising strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthesis incorporates curved and angled strut designs rather than straight rigid elements. The struts feature specific angle ranges (e.g., 45-135 degrees) and curved geometries that allow them to flex and adapt to tortuous anatomical paths while maintaining their load-bearing capacity and lumen support function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the endoluminal prosthesis is made flexible to adapt to tortuous anatomy, then the adaptability is improved, but the risk of kinking and occlusion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The struts are pre-formed with specific angular orientations and geometric configurations during manufacturing. This preliminary structuring ensures that when the prosthesis is deployed, the struts automatically assume positions that maintain lumen patency and prevent kinking, even as the prosthesis adapts to curved anatomical paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthesis combines flexible structural elements (struts) with a supportive framework (graft material). This composite construction allows the struts to provide flexibility and adaptability while the graft material maintains structural integrity and prevents collapse, kinking, and occlusion.
3Ease of manufacture
If the prosthesis structure is simplified for ease of manufacture, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to prevent kinking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The complex anti-kinking geometry is achieved through segmentation into standardized modular strut units. Each strut is a discrete component with predetermined angles and shapes that can be manufactured using conventional techniques, then assembled into the final prosthesis structure, balancing manufacturing simplicity with functional complexity.
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 solution enhances the flexibility and resistance to occlusion of the endoluminal prosthesis, ensuring the lumen remains open even when the prosthesis is bent or curved, thereby reducing the risk of kinking and improving fatigue strength.
Implementation Method 1
providing torque and tension folds that maintain the lumen open and prevent kinking
Implementation Method 2
improving fatigue strength
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
An endoluminal device (1210) may include a tubular graft (1212) extending in a longitudinal direction, where the graft has an inner surface forming a lumen extending a length of the graft. An elongate member (1214) may be attached to the graft in a circumferentially and longitudinally extending manner such that the elongate member forms a series of longitudinally spaced apart turns, each turn extending substantially around a circumference of the graft. The elongate member may torsion the graft in at least the circumferential direction and cause the graft to form circumferentially and longitudinally extending folds (1215, 1217) in the portions of the graft disposed between longitudinally adjacent turns of the elongate member.