Inverting Tractor Thrombectomy Apparatus for Safe Clot Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanical thrombectomy devices face challenges in effectively and safely removing blood clots from within the body, particularly in minimizing tissue damage and preventing jamming during the clot removal process.
Innovation Solution
The development of inverting tractor thrombectomy apparatuses with flexible tubes that invert over themselves as they roll, allowing for a conveyor-like motion to draw clots into a catheter, combined with clot-engaging members and aspiration, to facilitate safe and efficient clot removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mechanical thrombectomy devices are used to remove clots, then clot removal capability is achieved, but tissue damage risk increases and jamming occurs during the removal process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by using a tractor that inverts over itself during operation. The tractor region extends distally beyond the catheter tip, inverts over the catheter tip, and then pulls the clot into the catheter. This inverted mechanism allows the tractor to engage with the clot from the distal end and pull it back, reducing the risk of tissue damage compared to traditional proximal engagement methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible tractor region that can invert over the catheter tip. The tractor is designed with flexibility to accommodate the inversion motion and to conform to the vessel wall, minimizing tissue damage while maintaining effective clot engagement and removal capability.
2Reliability
If traditional mechanical thrombectomy devices are used to remove clots, then clot removal capability is achieved, but jamming occurs during the removal process
Solution Approach 1:
The inversion mechanism of the tractor allows it to pull the clot into the catheter from the distal end, creating a pulling motion rather than a pushing motion. This reduces the likelihood of jamming that often occurs with traditional pushing mechanisms, as the inverted tractor can smoothly engage and retract without creating resistance at the catheter tip.
3Productivity
If a tractor region is used to pull clots into a catheter, then clot removal efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tractor region with the catheter assembly, where the tractor extends from the catheter tip and inverts over itself. This integration allows the clot removal function to be achieved within an existing catheter framework, reducing the need for separate complex devices while maintaining high removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The tractor region serves multiple functions: it acts as a conduit for clot engagement, provides a pulling mechanism for clot retrieval, and can be configured with different lengths and flexibility levels to adapt to various vessel sizes and clot types. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Mechanical thrombectomy apparatuses (devices, systems, etc.) and methods for deploying and/or positioning them within a vessel and/or using them and/or removing a thrombus, e.g., clot, from within a vessel using them.