LAA Closure Anchor Retention Structure for Secure Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical devices for closing the left atrial appendage (LAA) have limitations, necessitating the development of alternative designs and manufacturing methods to effectively prevent thrombi formation and reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack.
Innovation Solution
A left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device featuring an expandable frame with anchor members and occlusive members, including barbs and occlusive member retention features, to securely anchor and seal the LAA, thereby reducing blood clot escape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing LAAC devices are used to close the left atrial appendage, then the risk of thrombi formation is reduced, but the devices have limitations in effectiveness and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct functional segments: an expandable frame with multiple struts, separate anchor members with barbs, and an occlusive member. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while working together as an integrated system, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity by distributing functions across modular elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is designed to be expandable from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded deployed configuration. This dynamic transformation allows the device to be delivered through a catheter in a compact state and then expanded within the LAA to achieve secure anchoring and effective occlusion, improving reliability without requiring a permanently complex structure.
2Reliability
If anchor members with barbs are used to secure the occlusive member, then the occlusive member retention is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor members combine multiple functions into a single integrated structure: they provide mechanical anchoring through barbs that engage with the LAA tissue, support the occlusive member through attachment features, and maintain structural integrity as part of the expandable frame. This merging reduces the need for separate components, improving retention while managing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The barbs on the anchor members are pre-configured in a compressed state during delivery, allowing them to be inserted into the LAA wall with minimal tissue disruption. Upon expansion, the barbs automatically engage with the tissue to provide secure anchoring and occlusive member retention, achieving reliable fixation through preliminary positioning rather than complex post-deployment adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device includes an expandable frame that is adapted to shift between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the expandable frame comprising a plurality of expandable frame struts and an occlusive member that is disposed over the expandable frame. The LAAC device includes a plurality of anchor members that are each coupled with a corresponding one of the plurality of expandable frame struts. Each of the plurality of anchor members includes an occlusive member retention region having a first occlusive member retention feature and an associated second occlusive member retention feature.