Expandable Ring Fixation for Fast Endovascular Anastomosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endovascular fixation devices face challenges in facilitating easy insertion, deployment, and removal from body lumens, and there is a need for simplified surgical procedures to create fistulas or anastomoses with reduced risks of leaking or detachment, particularly in time-sensitive situations like organ transplants and emergencies.
Innovation Solution
The design of an endovascular fixation device with radially expandable rings and connectors that flare outwardly upon expansion, allowing for easy deployment and anchoring within body passageways, forming flared crowns to secure implants and create connections between vessels without additional manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional endovascular fixation devices are used, then device stability and anchoring are achieved, but insertion, deployment, and removal become complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device is divided into multiple expandable rings connected by struts, with each ring capable of independent radial expansion. This segmentation allows the device to be compressed for easy insertion and then expanded at the target site for stable anchoring, resolving the contradiction between ease of insertion and device stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a compressed low-profile state during insertion to an expanded high-profile state for anchoring. The flarable crowns dynamically change from a retracted configuration during delivery to an outwardly flared configuration upon expansion, enabling easy insertion followed by secure fixation without additional manipulation.
2Reliability
If additional manipulation is performed for deployment, then anchoring security is improved, but procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flarable crowns automatically flare outwardly upon radial expansion of the rings through the mechanical action of the connectors. This self-flaring mechanism eliminates the need for additional manual manipulation or separate flaring steps, achieving secure anchoring directly during the expansion phase and reducing procedure time.
Solution Approach 2:
The flaring action is merged with the expansion action in a single operational step. When the rings are expanded radially, the connectors simultaneously cause the crowns to flare outwardly, combining two functions (expansion and flaring) into one action that achieves both device deployment and secure anchoring without additional time consumption.
3Strength
If flarable crowns are designed to flare outwardly, then anchoring capability is enhanced, but device profile increases during delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The crowns are designed with a dynamic configuration that allows them to be compressed against the ring during delivery and then flare outwardly upon expansion. The connectors are positioned to enable this dynamic transformation, allowing the device to present a low profile during insertion and then develop full anchoring capability at the target site.
Solution Approach 2:
The flarable crowns are nested within or against the ring structure during the delivery phase, with the connectors positioned to allow the crowns to be retracted. Upon expansion, the connectors cause the crowns to flare outwardly from this nested position, enabling compact delivery followed by expanded anchoring functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An endovascular fixation device includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion to define a central lumen extending longitudinally through the portions. The first portion includes a first radially expandable ring and at least one first connector, connected to the first ring, configured to cause at least one first flarable crown of the first ring to flare radially outwardly relative to other portions of the first ring when the first ring is expanded from a retracted position to an expanded position. The second portion includes a second radially expandable ring and at least one second connector, connected to the second ring, configured to cause at least one second flarable crown of the second ring to flare radially outwardly relative to other portions of the second ring when the second ring is expanded from a retracted position to an expanded position.