Iliac Vein Stent Structure for Support and Low Thrombosis Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular stents are not suitable for treating iliac vein compression syndrome due to inadequate support strength and potential adverse effects on blood flow, and existing treatments like abdominal surgery are invasive and risky.
Innovation Solution
An intravascular stent with a unique structure comprising alternating closed and open loops in the axial direction, featuring a positioning segment and supporting segments with varying lengths and connector arrangements to enhance support and minimize thrombosis risk, made from materials like stainless steel or nickel-titanium alloy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a stent graft is compressed into a delivery catheter for minimally invasive delivery, then the delivery method becomes less invasive and more patient-friendly, but the stent graft is subjected to compression forces that can damage the delicate ePTFE fabric and cause structural failure
Solution Approach 1:
The stent graft is nested within a protective sheath that is itself nested within the delivery catheter. This nested structure allows the stent graft to be compressed for delivery while the outer sheath protects it from damage, and the nested design enables sequential deployment where the sheath is removed first followed by stent graft expansion
Solution Approach 2:
The stent graft is pre-assembled with the stent structure attached to the ePTFE graft portion before delivery. This preliminary assembly ensures that the stent and graft are positioned correctly relative to each other before compression, and the stent structure provides preliminary support to protect the ePTFE fabric during the compression and delivery process
2Reliability
If the stent graft is made from ePTFE material to provide a biocompatible seal, then the biocompatibility and sealing capability are improved, but the material becomes highly susceptible to damage from compression and crushing forces
Solution Approach 1:
The device combines ePTFE graft material with a metallic stent structure to create a composite construction. The ePTFE provides biocompatibility and sealing while the metal stent provides compression resistance and structural support, allowing each material to contribute its superior properties to the overall device performance
Solution Approach 2:
The stent structure is selectively positioned at specific locations along the ePTFE graft, particularly at the ends and at intervals along the length. This local reinforcement strategy applies structural support exactly where compression forces are most likely to cause damage, while maintaining the biocompatible ePTFE surface in contact with tissue
3Strength
If the stent structure is designed to provide radial support to prevent compression, then the structural support is improved, but the ability to conform to the irregular shape of the aorta and branch vessels is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The stent structure is divided into multiple segmented elements rather than a continuous rigid tube. These segments can independently flex and adapt to the curvature of the aorta and branch vessels while maintaining radial support. The segmentation allows the structure to conform to irregular anatomical shapes while preventing compression of the ePTFE graft
Solution Approach 2:
The stent structure is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to transition from a compressed low-profile state during delivery to an expanded high-support state after implantation. The structure can dynamically adapt its rigidity and shape to match the anatomical requirements at different locations, providing both conformability during delivery and radial support after deployment
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
An intravascular stent, and the intravascular stent comprises a positioning segment and a supporting segment, the positioning segment comprising a plurality of first repeating elements (11), the supporting segment comprising at least two supporting units (21) and at least one connecting unit (22), the supporting unit (21) comprising a plurality of second repeating elements (211), the number of the first repeating elements (11) differing from the number of the second repeating elements (211). The intravascular stent of the present disclosure is particularly suitable for iliac vein, with good supporting effect for iliac vein and less damage to venous wall, and can effectively avoid forming in-stent secondary thrombosis after intravascular stent implantation. Moreover, the intravascular stent of the present disclosure can be well positioned in the iliac vein to improve the accuracy of the release, and it is simple for operation. The vascular stent of the present disclosure has the advantages of simple structure, convenient production and low cost, and thereby has important practical significance and good prospect in clinical application.