Expandable Catheter Filter for Embolic Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

During medical procedures like TAVR/TAVI, the introduction of catheters and devices can dislodge particles from vascular walls, leading to uncontrolled emboli that cause adverse effects such as stroke by blocking or occluding vessels, as existing technologies lack effective embolic protection mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A catheter-based apparatus with expandable and collapsible filter shafts that deploy within vascular tissue, allowing passage of red blood cells while trapping larger particles, and retracting these particles for safe removal, utilizing a filter with a perimeter structure connected to the shafts to conform to vascular anatomy and maintain blood flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If catheters and devices are introduced to treat vascular conditions, then tissue repair and replacement can be performed, but particles and emboli are dislodged causing stroke and vascular occlusion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of vascular interventionVSAvoidembolic particles causing stroke

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A filter device is introduced as an intermediary component between the vascular treatment site and the distal circulation. The filter captures dislodged particles and emboli, preventing them from traveling to critical vessels and causing stroke or occlusion, while still allowing blood flow to proceed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter is deployed before the actual tissue repair or replacement procedure begins. By establishing the protective barrier in advance, any particles dislodged during subsequent manipulation of catheters and devices are immediately captured, preventing embolic events

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a filter is deployed to capture embolic particles, then stroke risk is reduced, but the filter must be large enough to trap particles which complicates delivery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveembolic protection effectivenessVSAvoidfilter size for particle capture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The filter is designed with a nested structure where the filtering elements are collapsed within a delivery catheter during insertion. Once positioned at the treatment site, the filter expands from its compact nested state to a larger configuration that effectively captures particles, combining small delivery profile with large functional size

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter transitions from a static small size during delivery to a dynamic expanded state at the deployment site. This dynamic size change allows the filter to achieve the necessary dimensions for effective particle capture only when needed, while maintaining a compact form for easy delivery through catheters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If multiple shafts are used to manipulate the filter, then deployment and retraction control is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefilter deployment controlVSAvoidnumber of shafts

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control mechanism is divided into multiple independent shafts, each responsible for a specific function such as filter deployment, positioning, or retraction. This segmentation allows each shaft to be optimized for its specific task, improving overall operational control while keeping the complexity of individual components manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 apparatus effectively captures and removes embolic particles, reducing the risk of stroke and vascular occlusion by ensuring continuous blood flow and safe embolic protection during procedures, with the filter's shape manipulation enabling deployment and retraction within the catheter.

Implementation Method 1

The filter passes human red blood cells and mitigates the passage of particles having a dimension larger than the human red blood cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS9888994B2Catheter-based apparatuses and methods

Publication Date: 2018.02.13 TRANSVERSE MEDICAL INC

AI summary

Blood flow into vascular tissue is filtered in a manner that can also be useful for trapping particulates while allowing the flow of blood. Consistent with one or more embodiments, a filter apparatus includes a filter, an outer delivery sheath such as a catheter, and one or more shafts that are operable to manipulate the shape of the filter for positioning within vascular tissue. The filter conforms to various types of vascular tissue, and filters blood flow passing through openings in the vascular tissue. In some implementations, the filter is used to trap particulates that have been collected on the filter, and collapses to trap and draw the particulates into the outer delivery sheath.