Expandable Clot Scraper With Inverting Tube for Safe Thrombectomy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thrombectomy devices face challenges in efficiently removing large and soft clot materials from within a vessel, often requiring multiple attempts and risking damage to the vessel wall.
Innovation Solution
The use of an expandable scraper device with a braided basket, configured to expand and contract, which is inserted into the vessel to scrape clot material off the wall and invert it into an inverting thrombectomy apparatus, combined with suction if necessary, to facilitate complete removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing thrombectomy devices are used to remove clot material, then clot removal function is provided, but the devices struggle with large and soft clot materials requiring multiple attempts and risking vessel wall damage
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the clot removal process into distinct functional segments: the expandable basket captures clot material, the inversion tube inverts and contains the captured material, and the suction mechanism removes it. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function, improving overall efficiency while controlling forces applied to the vessel wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket is designed to dynamically expand from a compressed delivery configuration to a larger operational configuration within the vessel. This dynamic expansion allows the device to adapt to different clot sizes and vessel dimensions, improving clot capture capability while maintaining a low-profile delivery state that minimizes initial vessel interaction and damage risk.
2Force
If larger forces are applied to remove soft clot material, then removal effectiveness improves, but vessel wall damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inversion tube acts as an intermediary mechanism between the basket and the exterior. It receives the inverted basket containing the clot, allows the basket to collapse within the tube, and provides a controlled environment for clot containment during withdrawal. This intermediary structure distributes forces and prevents direct transmission of high gripping forces to the vessel wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The inversion tube is designed as a flexible structure that can deform and adapt to the forces applied during clot capture and withdrawal. This flexibility allows the tube to accommodate the collapsing basket and contained clot while maintaining structural integrity, distributing mechanical stresses away from the vessel wall and reducing damage risk.
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 method and apparatus effectively remove clot material without damaging the vessel wall by optimizing pore size and pull force, ensuring efficient and safe clot extraction.
Implementation Method 1
expanding distal expanding region of an expandable scraper from a compressed configuration into or adjacent to a clot; pulling the distal expanding region proximally
Implementation Method 2
inverting a flexible tube from an outer surface of an inversion support catheter and into the lumen of the inversion support catheter to capture clot material
Implementation Method 3
by suction and/or by inverting (rolling) a flexible tube into an inversion support catheter
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for removing material (e.g., clot) from within a body, including inverting thrombectomy apparatuses. These methods and apparatuses may include methods and apparatuses for reusing portion of the devices, method and apparatuses for loading and reloading the inverting thrombectomy apparatuses, and methods and apparatuses for improving and enhancing the ability of the inverting thrombectomy apparatuses to remove clot. In particular, described herein are expandable scraper devices that may be used in conjunction with the inverting thrombectomy apparatuses descried herein, or on their own.