Flexible Anchor Delivery for Stable BPH Implant Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) are invasive, require general anesthesia, and often cause patient discomfort, with minimally invasive methods providing suboptimal results and requiring urethral catheters for extended periods.

Innovation Solution

A flexible delivery device with a controllable position stability mechanism is used to deploy an anchor assembly within the body, allowing precise implantation of anchor components at targeted locations with minimal discomfort, using a scope for visualization and flexible elongate members to navigate anatomy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If surgical procedures (TURP, TVP, TUIP, Laser/Open Prostatectomy) are used to treat BPH, then effective symptom relief is achieved, but patient discomfort increases and general anesthesia is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of BPH treatmentVSAvoidpatient discomfort and anesthesia risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible delivery device with an elongate member that can navigate the urethra to reach the prostate gland. The flexible construction allows the device to conform to anatomical structures while delivering anchors that provide prostate compression, thereby achieving effective BPH treatment through a minimally invasive transurethral approach without requiring open surgical incisions or general anesthesia

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces traditional mechanical surgical resection systems with a delivery device that uses anchored compression mechanics. Instead of removing prostate tissue through cutting or vaporization, the system delivers anchors that mechanically compress the enlarged prostate tissue against the prostatic capsule, achieving symptom relief through compression rather than resection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive procedures (TUMT, TUNA, ILC, Prostatic Stents) are used to treat BPH, then patient discomfort is reduced, but treatment effectiveness becomes suboptimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient discomfortVSAvoideffectiveness of BPH treatment

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery device is segmented into multiple functional components including an elongate member for navigation, a delivery mechanism for anchor deployment, and anchors with compression elements. This segmentation allows the system to combine minimally invasive delivery with effective mechanical compression, achieving both patient comfort and treatment effectiveness that neither approach could achieve alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If traditional surgical methods are used, then immediate symptom relief is achieved, but prolonged catheterization is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimmediate symptom reliefVSAvoidcatheterization duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The anchors are designed to self-anchor into the prostate tissue and prostatic capsule, creating immediate mechanical compression that relieves urethral obstruction. The self-retaining nature of the anchors eliminates the need for prolonged catheterization to maintain urinary drainage, as the compressed prostate naturally maintains urethral patency without external support

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If flexible delivery devices are used to access difficult anatomy, then access to target sites is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to access difficult anatomyVSAvoiddelivery device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible delivery device is designed with multi-functionality to perform navigation, anchor delivery, and compression application through a single integrated system. The elongate member serves multiple purposes including guiding the device through the urethra, supporting the delivery mechanism, and facilitating anchor deployment, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the need to access difficult anatomy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260033823A1Flexible system for delivering an anchor

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 TELEFLEX LIFE SCIENCES LLC

AI summary

A system and associated method for manipulating tissues and anatomical or other structures in medical applications for the purpose of treating diseases or disorders or other purposes. In one aspect, the system includes a delivery device including a flexible portion that is suited to access target anatomy. The flexibility of an elongate portion of the delivery device can be varied. Additionally, the delivery device can include structure that maintains the positioning of the delivery device in patient anatomy.