Heart Valve Implant Pockets Capture Retrograde Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical treatments for defective heart valves are often invasive and require significant recovery time, and existing replacement heart valves may not effectively prevent retrograde fluid flow and paravalvular leakage.

Innovation Solution

A replacement heart valve implant with an expandable framework that shifts from a collapsed to an expanded configuration, featuring valve leaflets, pockets, and an inner skirt to capture retrograde fluid flow and prevent leakage, which is designed for percutaneous delivery and deployment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional open-heart surgery is used to replace defective heart valves, then the valve replacement can be performed effectively, but the procedure becomes highly invasive with significant recovery time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve replacement effectivenessVSAvoidinvasiveness of procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The replacement heart valve is nested within a delivery catheter system, allowing it to be delivered percutaneously through the bloodstream to the heart. The valve is compressed within the catheter and then expanded at the target location, eliminating the need for open-heart surgery while maintaining effective valve replacement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

A delivery catheter system serves as an intermediary device to transport and deploy the replacement valve. The catheter enables percutaneous access to the heart, allowing the valve to be implanted through a peripheral vessel rather than requiring direct surgical access to the heart

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If existing replacement heart valves are used, then valve replacement can be achieved, but they fail to effectively prevent retrograde fluid flow and paravalvular leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve replacement functionalityVSAvoidretrograde fluid flow and paravalvular leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Pockets are formed upstream of the valve leaflets before fluid flow reaches them. These pre-positioned pockets capture and redirect retrograde flow patterns, preventing leakage around the valve exterior before the harmful flow can occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pockets are designed to capture harmful retrograde fluid flow and convert it into a beneficial pattern by directing the flow through the pockets and around to the downstream side, transforming potential leakage into controlled flow that maintains sealing pressure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If pockets are added to capture retrograde fluid flow, then paravalvular leakage is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparavalvular leakage preventionVSAvoidvalve structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pockets are integrated with the valve framework and leaflets as a unified structure. The pockets are formed from the same materials and are structurally combined with the existing valve components, creating a merged design that prevents leakage without requiring separate additional devices or complex assembly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution provides a less invasive treatment option with reduced recovery time and effectively prevents retrograde fluid flow and paravalvular leakage, enhancing the durability and functionality of the heart valve implant.

Implementation Method 1

an expandable framework configured to shift from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The plurality of pockets may extend radially outward from the expandable framework to capture retrograde fluid flow around an exterior of the expandable framework within the plurality of pockets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow capture:

Data Source

PatentUS20230038102A1Replacement heart valve implant

Publication Date: 2023.02.09 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

A replacement heart valve implant may include an expandable framework configured to shift from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, the expandable framework having an inflow end and an outflow end, a plurality of valve leaflets secured to the expandable framework, and a plurality of pockets secured to the expandable framework in a plurality of circumferential pocket rows. The plurality of pockets extends radially outward from the expandable framework to capture retrograde fluid flow around an exterior of the expandable framework within the plurality of pockets.