Medical Implant Cone Shape Fiber Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical implants for closing defect openings or vessels in the body face challenges with prolonged closure times due to thrombogenic fibers attaching to the implant in a wet state, creating openings in the tapering area of the cone shape, which increases the shutter speed and risks hemolysis from loose fiber ends.

Innovation Solution

A medical implant with a reversibly deformable base body that converts from an elongated primary shape to a coiled secondary shape, where the thrombogenic fibers extend transversely through the cone shape, preventing contact with the inner wall and reducing the risk of hemolysis by minimizing the number of fibers and their loose ends, and forming a net-like structure for enhanced thrombogenicity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If thrombogenic fibers are attached to the implant in a wet state, then the fibers can be easily attached to the base body, but openings remain in the tapering area which increases closure time and risks hemolysis

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of fiber attachmentVSAvoidclosure time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attaching fibers to the outside surface of the base body, the patent inverts the approach by passing fibers through the interior of the base body from one end to the other. This internal routing ensures fibers do not protrude into the tapering area, preventing openings while maintaining attachment effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional surface attachment approach to a three-dimensional internal routing approach. Fibers are positioned within the volumetric interior of the base body rather than on its external surface, eliminating interference with the tapering area closure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If multiple thrombogenic fibers are used to improve embolization effect, then the occlusion effectiveness is enhanced, but the number of loose fiber ends increases which raises hemolysis risk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveembolization effectVSAvoidhemolysis risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic loose ends from the system by routing fibers through the interior of the base body and securing them internally. This removes the source of hemolysis risk while preserving the therapeutic embolization effect of multiple fibers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The base body acts as an intermediary structure that contains and secures multiple fiber ends internally. This mediator prevents direct contact between loose fiber ends and blood flow, eliminating hemolysis risk while allowing multiple fibers to function for enhanced embolization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the base body is made elongated for catheter transport, then minimally invasive implantation is enabled, but the closure effectiveness at the target site is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter transport capabilityVSAvoidclosure effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by designing the base body to change shape from an elongated transport configuration to an expanded functional configuration. The base body dynamically transforms during implantation, enabling both catheter passage and effective closure at the target site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The base body is designed with a nested structure that allows it to be compressed into an elongated form for catheter insertion, then expand into a larger functional shape at the target site. The smaller transport form is nested within the larger functional form, enabling both requirements to be satisfied.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 reduces closure time and minimizes the risk of hemolysis by ensuring the fibers do not contact the inner wall, maintaining structural integrity under increased flow velocities and supporting each other, thus preventing changes in the net-like structure.

Implementation Method 1

The base body can be reversibly converted against elastic material forces from a secondary shape into a primary shape

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic material forces: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3285659B1Medical implant for closure of a defect aperture, a vessel, an organ path or another aperture in a human or animal body

Publication Date: 2021.09.22 PFM MEDICAL AG

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AI summary

The invention relates to a medical implant (1) for closure of a defect aperture, a vessel, an organ path or another aperture in a human or animal body, comprising a base body (2) and at least one fibre (3), wherein the base body (2) can be reversibly transformed against elastic material forces from a secondary shape into a primary shape, wherein in the primary shape the base body (2) has an elongated shape and in the secondary shape is at least partially coiled and comprises a cone shape (4), which is characterised in that the at least one fibre (3) is connected to the base body (2) such that the fibre (3) in the secondary shape of the base body (2) extends at least once, preferably a plurality of times, transversely through the cone shape (4).