Expandable Member Reshaping Irregular Blood Vessels for Stent Sizing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the optimal stent size for blood vessels are hindered by irregular cross-sectional shapes and phasic changes in vessel diameter, leading to inaccurate sizing and potential complications due to non-circular cross-sections and measurement errors.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an expandable member, comprising fingers or a polymeric web with spring elements, is advanced to reshape the vessel temporarily, allowing for accurate diameter measurement using imaging techniques, ensuring the stent is appropriately sized to remain in place without distending the vessel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional measurement methods are used for blood vessels with irregular cross-sections, then the measurement process is simple, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to non-circular cross-sections and phasic changes
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable member is designed to dynamically reshape the blood vessel from an irregular cross-section to a more circular shape temporarily during measurement. The member can expand and contract to adapt to different vessel configurations, enabling accurate diameter measurement despite phasic changes and irregular geometries
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable member acts as an intermediary tool between the irregular blood vessel and the measurement imaging system. By temporarily reshaping the vessel into a more regular geometry, it mediates the measurement process to achieve higher precision without requiring complex direct measurement of irregular structures
2Reliability
If stent sizing is based on inaccurate measurements, then the sizing process is quick, but the reliability deteriorates leading to potential complications
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable member is deployed beforehand to temporarily reshape the blood vessel into a more circular configuration before performing the diameter measurement. This preliminary action ensures that the subsequent measurement reflects the effective diameter needed for proper stent sizing, improving reliability without requiring multiple measurement attempts
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus temporarily changes the geometric parameters of the blood vessel by expanding it to a more regular shape during measurement. This parameter transformation allows for more accurate diameter determination that accounts for phasic changes and irregularities, ensuring reliable stent sizing
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 enables precise measurement of effective vessel diameter, facilitating proper stent deployment by reshaping the vessel temporarily for accurate imaging and sizing, thus ensuring the stent remains securely in place without excessive stretching.
Implementation Method 1
each of the plurality of fingers may include a spring element biased to extend radially outwardly
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for determining an effective diameter of a blood vessel at a deployment site includes an outer member defining a garage disposed within the outer member and an inner member slidingly disposed within the garage, the inner member adapted to be advanced distally from the garage in order to obtain measure a diameter of a blood vessel in which the apparatus is disposed. The inner member includes an elongate shaft and a biased member extending from the elongate shaft, the biased member adapted to extend radially outwardly from the elongate shaft when not constrained by being within the garage. The biased member may be visible via ultrasound imaging and/or fluoroscopic imaging.