Radially Expandable Implant Frames for Vessel Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for blood vessel occlusion and vascular stenting lack a fast, precise, and reliable solution for immediate total occlusion of blood flow, particularly in small vessels, and do not effectively manage pressure gradients in procedures like TIPS to maintain hepatic venous pressure gradient below 10 mmHg.
Innovation Solution
The development of radially expandable implant frames made from shape memory materials, which can be delivered minimally invasively, expand to occlude blood flow, and are designed to minimize backflow, with features like collagen coating for anchoring and adjustable flow rates to manage pressure gradients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional balloon occlusion devices are used, then vessel occlusion can be achieved, but the occlusion is not immediate and total, and control precision is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a compressed delivery state to an expanded occlusion state through radial expansion, enabling dynamic adaptation to the vessel geometry and providing immediate total occlusion. The expandable frame structure allows the device to conform to the vessel wall while maintaining precise occlusion control.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes its physical parameters (diameter, radial force, contact area) through expansion from a small delivery profile to a large occlusion profile. This parameter transformation enables the device to achieve immediate total occlusion while being deliverable through minimally invasive access.
2Adaptability or versatility
If detachable balloons are used for flow reduction procedures, then versatility is improved, but the devices lack adjustability for controlled flow rates and pressure management
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates adjustable features that allow dynamic control of flow rates and pressure gradients during the procedure. The expandable frame with adjustable characteristics enables operators to fine-tune the degree of occlusion and manage pressure gradients, particularly in TIPS procedures where maintaining a gradient below 10 mmHg is critical.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive delivery is used, then patient trauma is reduced, but delivery of precise occlusion devices to small vessels becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device is designed with a nested structure where the expandable frame is contained within a delivery catheter in a compressed state, allowing minimally invasive delivery through small access vessels. Upon deployment, the frame expands to its full occlusion dimensions, achieving precise placement in the target vessel without requiring large access sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a low-profile axial configuration during delivery to a high-profile radial configuration during occlusion. This dimensional transformation enables the device to be delivered through small catheters while achieving large contact area and precise occlusion in the target vessel.
4Productivity
If expandable frames are used for immediate occlusion, then occlusion speed is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable frame is divided into multiple segments or struts that can be independently structured and assembled. This segmentation allows the complex occlusion function to be achieved through modular components that can be delivered in a compressed state and expanded to provide immediate total occlusion.
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 provides immediate and precise occlusion of blood vessels, reduces venous insufficiency, and effectively adjusts hepatic venous pressure gradients, enhancing the safety and efficacy of procedures such as TIPS by ensuring controlled blood flow and pressure management.
Implementation Method 1
radially expandable implant frames made from shape memory materials
Implementation Method 2
features like collagen coating for anchoring
Data Source
AI summary
An implant may include a frame and a cover to facilitate endoluminal vessel occlusion, selective release of embolic material toward a target region, and/or endoluminal stenting. The frame of the implant provides radial expansion properties to secure the cover within a body vessel. The cover and/or the frame can occlude flow of a fluid through the body vessel.