Expandable Wire Frame Sealing Device for Transcatheter Defect Closure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing trans-catheter delivery systems for occluding devices face challenges in efficiently sealing cardiac or vascular defects without causing trauma and complications, particularly in deploying and positioning devices accurately within the body.

Innovation Solution

A sealing device with an expandable frame formed from a plurality of wires, featuring a wire frame with occluding members and a sealing member that conforms to tissue surfaces, allowing for self-centering and maintaining apposition forces, and includes fluid passageways to manage pressure differentials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a trans-catheter delivery system is used to avoid open-heart surgery, then patient trauma is reduced, but device deployment precision and positioning accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient traumaVSAvoiddevice positioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A delivery catheter serves as an intermediary tool to transport the occluding device to the target site through the vascular system, avoiding open-heart surgery while maintaining controlled deployment. The catheter acts as a mediator between the operator and the device, enabling precise positioning despite the minimally invasive approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The occluding device is designed with self-expanding capabilities using superelastic wire structures that automatically deploy and position themselves at the target site once released from the delivery catheter, reducing the need for complex manual positioning while maintaining deployment precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Device complexity

If a self-expanding device is used for occlusion, then device assembly is simplified, but control over deployment timing and positioning is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice assemblyVSAvoiddeployment control
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device employs a dynamic delivery system where the catheter can be selectively retracted or advanced to control the timing and position of device deployment. The operator maintains dynamic control over the self-expanding mechanism by controlling the catheter's position relative to the target site

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The device is pre-assembled in a compressed state within the delivery catheter, with all components ready for deployment. The superelastic wire structure is pre-configured to automatically expand upon release, eliminating the need for complex assembly steps at the target site while maintaining deployment control through catheter manipulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a sealing device is designed to conform to tissue surfaces, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoiddevice structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The occluding device incorporates a flexible sealing member that can conform to the irregular surfaces of cardiac or vascular tissue. This flexible membrane provides effective sealing by adapting to the tissue geometry without requiring complex mechanical structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The device combines superelastic wire structures with flexible sealing materials to create a composite structure. The wire frame provides structural support and expandability while the flexible membrane provides conformability and sealing, achieving effective sealing without excessive structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

4Reliability

If fluid passageways are included in the sealing member, then pressure differential management is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure differential managementVSAvoidsealing member structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member incorporates porous structures or fluid passageways that allow controlled fluid flow through the occluding device. This enables pressure equalization across the occlusion site, managing pressure differentials without requiring complex active control mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 device effectively seals defects of varying sizes and shapes, maintaining position and configuration within the body, while minimizing deformation and trauma, and allowing for fluid communication to manage pressure differentials.

Implementation Method 1

an expandable frame formed from a plurality of wires... Each of the wires extend from a proximal end to a distal end of the frame

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuperelasticity: Pseudoelasticity

Implementation Method 2

a sealing member that conforms to tissue surfaces, allowing for self-centering and maintaining apposition forces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3597114B1Sealing device
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 WL GORE & ASSOC INC
  • EP3597114B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3597114B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3597114B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A medical device for sealing a defect in a body includes a wire frame that includes a plurality of wires that form a first occluding member and a second occluding member. In some embodiments, a sealing member is in contact with the wire frame. In some embodiments, the sealing member is configured to define one or more openings in the sealing member.