Hydraulic Crimping Device for Uniform Prosthetic Valve Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prosthetic heart valve devices are challenging to deliver percutaneously due to their large expanded cross-sectional dimensions, requiring manual crimping that can be inconsistent and uncomfortable for clinicians, especially when performed in sterile solutions.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulically driven crimping device using a pusher and funnel system that applies uniform inward radial forces to reduce the prosthetic heart valve's cross-sectional dimension, allowing for percutaneous delivery by translating the pusher parallel to the funnel's central axis with pressurized fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual crimping is used to reduce prosthetic heart valve size, then the device can be delivered percutaneously, but the crimping process is inconsistent and uncomfortable for clinicians
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical crimping with a hydraulic system. A piston driven by fluid pressure applies controlled radial forces through a funnel-shaped anvil, eliminating the need for manual manipulation while ensuring consistent, uniform compression of the prosthetic heart valve to the required delivery configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hydraulic actuation system where pressurized fluid drives a piston to generate and transmit controlled radial compression forces. This hydraulic mechanism provides precise, repeatable crimping action that is both consistent in outcome and easy to operate, resolving the contradiction between manual effort and crimping quality.
2Reliability
If manual crimping is performed in sterile solutions, then the prosthetic heart valve can be prepared for delivery, but clinician discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic crimping system allows the prosthetic heart valve to be crimped while remaining in the sterile delivery catheter. The device crimps itself through the applied radial forces without requiring removal from the sterile environment, maintaining sterility while eliminating the need for clinicians to manually handle the device in challenging conditions.
3Length of moving object
If the prosthetic heart valve maintains its expanded cross-sectional dimension, then the valve structure is stable, but it cannot be delivered percutaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic crimping process where radial compression forces are applied progressively through the hydraulic piston and funnel anvil. This dynamic compression reduces the cross-sectional dimension of the prosthetic heart valve from its expanded stable configuration to a compressed delivery configuration, enabling percutaneous transport while maintaining structural integrity through controlled force application.
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 crimping device efficiently reduces prosthetic heart valve size in a controlled manner without manual manipulation, maintaining sterility and reducing clinician discomfort, enabling seamless loading into delivery systems.
Implementation Method 1
delivering a pressurized fluid to a piston cylinder of the medical crimping device, translating a piston within the piston cylinder in a direction toward a distal opening of the funnel
Implementation Method 2
The crimping device utilizes a funnel to provide substantially uniform compression forces to the prosthetic heart valve device as a pusher translates the prosthetic heart valve device into the funnel
Data Source
AI summary
A crimping device for reducing the size of prosthetic heart valve devices and other medical devices. A hydraulically operated piston advances a pusher toward an opening of a funnel. An interior surface of the funnel is configured to provide substantially uniform compression forces to a prosthetic heart valve device between the pusher and the funnel as the pusher advances the prosthetic heart valve device into the funnel. A system may comprise the crimping device and a prosthetic heart valve device positioned between the pusher and the funnel. A technique for using the crimping device includes delivering a pressurized fluid and crimping a prosthetic heart valve device using the interior surface of the funnel.