Flexible Endoluminal Stent Bending Without Kinking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing endoluminal devices such as stents and stent grafts often kink or fail to bend smoothly within the vasculature, which can lead to flow constriction and other vascular issues.

Innovation Solution

The development of stents and stent grafts capable of nesting as they are bent, utilizing rings with varying diameters and profiles, and interconnections that allow for smooth bending without kinking, enabling the stents to change luminal direction while maintaining patency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a stent is made rigid to maintain structural strength, then it can provide adequate support to the vasculature, but it cannot bend smoothly and will kink when navigating through curved vessels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidbending capability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is divided into multiple segments or cells arranged in a lattice structure, allowing each segment to move independently during bending, enabling the stent to navigate curved vessels while maintaining overall structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stent structure is designed to be dynamically adaptable, transitioning from a rigid expanded state that provides vascular support to a flexible compressed state that allows smooth bending and navigation through the vasculature

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a stent is made flexible to bend smoothly within the vasculature, then it can navigate curved vessels, but it loses structural strength and cannot adequately support the vasculature

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebending capabilityVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The lattice structure divides the stent into numerous small struts that can flex independently, allowing the overall structure to bend smoothly while each individual strut maintains its strength to provide cumulative structural support

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stent utilizes materials and structural configurations that combine flexibility and strength, such as elastically deformable lattice structures that can bend without permanent deformation while maintaining adequate radial strength for vascular support

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Length of moving object

If a stent is compressed for delivery through catheters, then it can be inserted into vessels, but it may kink or fail to maintain patency during deployment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompressibility for deliveryVSAvoidpatency maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The segmented lattice structure allows the stent to compress into a compact configuration for catheter delivery while maintaining the structural integrity of individual struts, ensuring reliable expansion and patency maintenance upon deployment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stent is pre-configured with a specific lattice geometry that predicts its expansion behavior, ensuring that when deployed from the compressed delivery state, it reliably expands to the intended shape and maintains vascular patency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250177174A1Flexible endoluminal device

Publication Date: 2025.06.05 WL GORE & ASSOC INC

AI summary

The present disclosure describes endoluminal devices, such as stents and stent grafts capable of being bent smoothly, with various benefits resulting therefrom.