Inflatable Graft Body Sealing for Branch-Preserving Aneurysm Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysms, such as endovascular grafting, face challenges in addressing branch vessels that are critical for perfusion to vital organs, and there is a need for improved structural support and sealing mechanisms to prevent aneurysm rupture.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a main graft body with inflatable channels and a filling structure that expands around the graft body and branch vessels, providing structural rigidity and sealing against the vessel wall, along with graft extensions that extend into iliac arteries, ensuring secure placement and minimal gutters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If endovascular grafting is used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms, then the invasiveness of the procedure is reduced, but the ability to address branch vessels critical for perfusion to vital organs is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The graft system is divided into a main body portion and one or more branch extensions that can be selectively configured to address specific branch vessels. The branch extensions are separable components that can be attached to the main graft body to restore blood flow to critical branch vessels while maintaining the minimally invasive nature of the overall procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The branch extensions are designed to be nested within or attached to the main graft body, allowing the system to maintain a compact configuration during delivery while providing expanded functionality when deployed. The fillable structure can contain the branch extensions in a compressed state during insertion, then expand to provide both main body and branch vessel support.
2Reliability
If a filling structure is expanded around the main graft body and inflatable channels, then structural support and sealing are improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filling structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support to the graft body, enables sealing against the vessel wall, and facilitates the inflation of attached channels. By combining these functions into a single integrated fillable structure, the system achieves improved reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The fillable structure is designed as a multi-functional component that performs sealing, support, and channel inflation functions. This universal structure reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function, thereby managing overall device complexity while achieving multiple critical objectives.
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 system provides enhanced structural support and sealing, reducing the risk of aneurysm rupture while maintaining blood flow to critical branch vessels, thus improving the efficacy of minimally invasive aneurysm repair.
Implementation Method 1
The filling structure is inflatable around at least a portion of the main graft body and at least a portion of at least one of the one or more inflatable channels
Implementation Method 2
The filling structure is expandable to fill a space between a wall of the at least one blood vessel and each of the at least a portion of the main graft body
Data Source
AI summary
A system for placement in at least one blood vessel includes a main graft body, one or more inflatable channels, and a filling structure. The one or more inflatable channels are attached to the main graft body. The filling structure is inflatable around at least a portion of the main graft body and at least a portion of at least one of the one or more inflatable channels. Various systems further include a graft extension that is insertable into a lumen formed by the main graft body, where the filling structure is inflatable around at least a portion of the graft extension. A method includes inserting a main graft body into a blood vessel, filling an inflatable channel attached to the main graft body, and filling a filling structure to inflate around at least a portion of the main graft body and at least a portion of the inflatable channel.