Expandable Intravascular Pump Inlet Reducing Crossing Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular blood pumps, particularly LVAD devices, face challenges in optimizing blood flow through the inlet region, are limited by the size of the collapsed device, and suffer from thrombosis and hemolysis due to the flow inducer, with a high crossing profile exacerbated by the need for electric leads and limited design to reduce this profile.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an expandable and collapsible inlet region with a non-expandable impeller housing and flexible spanning sections that allow the device to maintain a constant diameter during delivery and rotation, using a support structure and polymer coating for expansion, and features a stent-like structure for biased expansion, reducing the profile and minimizing thrombosis risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the device is designed with a larger diameter to optimize blood flow through the inlet region, then blood flow efficiency is improved, but the crossing profile increases making delivery more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet region is designed to be dynamically expandable and collapsible. During delivery, the inlet region is collapsed to a low profile to navigate through narrow vasculature. Once positioned, the inlet region expands to a larger diameter to optimize blood flow through the impeller, resolving the contradiction between flow efficiency and deliverability
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible inlet region allows the device to nest within a smaller delivery profile while maintaining the capability to expand to a larger operational size. The inlet region can be compressed within the body of the device during delivery, similar to nested dolls, then deployed to full size for optimal blood flow
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device structure is made more complex to enable expansion and collapse functionality, then deliverability and blood flow optimization are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet region utilizes flexible membranes or thin-walled structures that can naturally expand and collapse without complex mechanical mechanisms. This flexibility allows the inlet to adapt between delivery and operational states while minimizing additional structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into an expandable inlet region and a non-expandable impeller housing. This segmentation allows the inlet region to independently change size while the impeller housing remains stable, enabling adaptability without requiring the entire device to become more complex
3Reliability
If the inlet region is made expandable to reduce thrombosis risks, then blood flow and thrombosis reduction are improved, but the device requires additional support structures increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet region employs flexible membranes that can expand to increase blood flow velocity through the impeller, reducing stagnation and thrombosis risk. These flexible structures require minimal support compared to rigid expandable mechanisms, limiting the increase in device 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
This configuration enables a lower profile in the collapsed state for easier delivery and a larger expanded state for effective blood pumping, reducing thrombosis risks and improving blood flow while allowing for reduced crossing profile and integration of electrical leads.
Implementation Method 1
The spanning sections may be formed with a biased collapsed configuration. In this embodiment, the spanning sections may comprise a shape memory material that provides a biased position for each spanning section in the collapsed position
Implementation Method 2
The spanning sections may comprise a shape memory material that provides a biased position for each spanning section in the collapsed position unless a force overcoming the bias is applied to the spanning sections
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an intravascular blood pump comprising a housing that is at least partially expandable and collapsible and having an impeller with one or more blades attached thereto. The housing having spanning sections that are aligned with the blade(s) and adapted to collapse into recesses or spaces defined or provided between or along the blade(s) and along the central rotor to which the blade(s)s are attached.