Helical Embolic Protection Filter Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for embolic protection during vascular procedures, such as angioplasty, face challenges in effectively capturing emboli without obstructing blood flow or increasing the device's cross-sectional profile, which can limit their use and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
An embolic protection device with a helically expandable filter integrated with an elongated shaft, allowing for a collapsed state for delivery and retrieval, and an expanded state for capturing emboli, featuring filter portions that open at a predetermined angle to minimize cross-sectional profile and maximize emboli capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a filter device is expanded to capture emboli, then emboli capture effectiveness is improved, but cross-sectional profile increases making delivery difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The filter device is divided into multiple interconnected filter elements that can be collapsed into a compact configuration for delivery and expanded to form a large filtering surface for emboli capture. Each filter element can be independently collapsed while maintaining the ability to expand into the full filtering configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter device is collapsed into a nested or coiled configuration during delivery, allowing the filter elements to be contained within a small cross-sectional profile. Upon deployment, the nested structure expands outward to form the full filtering surface, effectively transitioning from a compact delivery state to an expanded functional state.
2Reliability
If multiple components are connected to form the filter device, then filtering functionality is improved, but device flexibility and ease of delivery worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple filter elements are interconnected through flexible joints or connections that allow the elements to move relative to each other during delivery and deployment. This merging of multiple components maintains filtering functionality while the flexible connections preserve device flexibility for navigation through tortuous vasculature.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter device incorporates dynamic elements that allow the structure to transition from a flexible, collapsible state during delivery to a rigid, expanded state during filtering. The interconnected components can articulate and adjust during navigation, then lock or stabilize when deployed to maintain filtering geometry.
3Reliability
If the filter is expanded to capture emboli, then emboli capture effectiveness is improved, but retrieval and repositioning become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The filter device can be periodically collapsed and expanded during the procedure, allowing for retrieval, repositioning, or adjustment. The ability to collapse the filter maintains ease of operation for retrieval while the expanded state provides effective emboli capture when deployed.
Data Source
AI summary
An embolic protection device for capturing emboli during treatment of a stenotic lesion in a body vessel is disclosed. The device comprises an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion extending from the proximal portion. The device further comprises an expandable filter formed helically about the distal portion of the elongated shaft. The expandable filter is configured to helically close defining a collapsed state for delivery and retrievable of the device. The expandable filter is configured to helically open defining an expanded state for capturing emboli during treatment of the stenotic lesion in the body vessel. The expandable filter has at least one filter portion helically extending from the elongated shaft at a predetermined angle defining an opening when the filter is in the expanded state.