Gradient Pore Shape Memory Foam for Aneurysm Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for aneurysms, such as detachable metal coils and endoluminal stents, often occlude essential blood vessels and do not allow for precise control over the expansion process, which can lead to incomplete treatment and potential rupture.
Innovation Solution
A shape memory polymer foam (SMP) device with a gradation of pore sizes is used to treat aneurysms. The foam is designed to expand within the aneurysm, decelerating blood flow and promoting thrombus and collagen formation, while preserving essential blood flow to surrounding vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If detachable metal coils or endoluminal stents are used to treat aneurysms, then the aneurysm can be occluded, but essential blood vessels may be occluded and blood flow cannot be preserved
Solution Approach 1:
The foam device incorporates a gradient pore structure where pore size varies spatially within the foam matrix. This local variation in pore quality allows different regions of the foam to perform different functions: smaller pores near the aneurysm provide effective occlusion, while larger pores in other regions preserve blood flow to essential vessels.
2Ease of operation
If conventional expandable devices are used, then the device can be delivered via catheter, but precise control over the expansion process is lost leading to incomplete treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The foam device utilizes phase transition of shape memory polymer material to control expansion. By changing temperature parameters, the foam transitions from a compressed delivery state to an expanded treatment state, providing precise and controllable expansion at the target site while maintaining ease of catheter delivery.
3Reliability
If larger treatment devices are used to ensure complete aneurysm filling, then treatment effectiveness improves, but the device cannot reach small intracranial arteries
Solution Approach 1:
The foam device is designed to be dynamically changeable in size. In the delivery state, it is compressed to a small size for navigation through small intracranial arteries. Upon deployment, it expands to fill the aneurysm completely, providing both accessibility to small vessels and complete treatment capability.
4Productivity
If the foam expands rapidly to fill the aneurysm, then treatment time is reduced, but control over the expansion process is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The foam expansion process is controlled through periodic or staged activation of shape memory polymer phase transition. This allows the expansion to occur in a controlled manner at predetermined stages, maintaining both rapid overall expansion for productivity and precise control over the process.
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 SMP foam device effectively stabilizes aneurysms by reducing blood flow and promoting healing, while allowing for smaller treatment devices that can reach small intracranial arteries and preserving essential blood flow to vessels lining the aneurysm wall.
Implementation Method 1
Shape-memory materials have the useful ability of being formable into a primary shape, being reformable into a stable secondary shape, and then being controllably actuated to recover their primary shape
Implementation Method 2
The foam is designed to expand within the aneurysm, decelerating blood flow and promoting thrombus and collagen formation
Data Source
AI summary
A system for treating an aneurysm in a blood vessel or vein, wherein the aneurysm has a dome, an interior, and a neck. The system includes a shape memory polymer foam in the interior of the aneurysm between the dome and the neck. The shape memory polymer foam has pores that include a first multiplicity of pores having a first pore size and a second multiplicity of pores having a second pore size. The second pore size is larger than said first pore size. The first multiplicity of pores are located in the neck of the aneurysm. The second multiplicity of pores are located in the dome of the aneurysm.