Laser-Patterned Graft Permeability for Stent Tissue Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stent-grafts are hydrophobic, creating a hostile environment that prevents tissue integration, leading to susceptibility to endoleaks and migration due to the inability of cells to recruit and proliferate on the graft material.
Innovation Solution
A laser is used to create precise openings in the graft material to enhance permeability, allowing for tissue integration, with the ability to control the pattern, location, diameter, and shape of the openings, and these openings can be filled with bioactive materials to promote tissue growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional graft material is used, then the stent-graft maintains structural integrity, but tissue integration is prevented due to extreme hydrophobicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by creating a porous structure within the graft material through laser drilling. The laser forms interconnected voids and channels that allow tissue penetration and integration while preserving the overall structural integrity of the graft. The porous architecture provides pathways for cell migration and tissue ingrowth without compromising the mechanical strength needed to contain vascular pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating regions of different permeability within the graft material. Laser drilling is applied selectively to specific zones to create localized porous regions that promote tissue integration, while other areas maintain the original dense structure for structural support. This spatial variation in material properties allows simultaneous optimization of both structural integrity and tissue adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the graft material is made more permeable to allow tissue integration, then cell recruitment and proliferation are enabled, but the risk of endoleaks and migration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controlled porous structure created by laser drilling allows selective permeability that facilitates tissue integration while maintaining adequate structural support. The interconnected pores provide pathways for tissue ingrowth to achieve biological fixation, reducing migration risk, while the overall graft architecture remains intact to prevent endoleaks.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser drilling is performed in advance during manufacturing to pre-establish the porous architecture before implantation. This preliminary creation of integration pathways ensures that tissue can immediately begin recruitment and proliferation upon implantation, accelerating the biological fixation process and reducing the window of vulnerability to endoleaks and migration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If laser openings are created in the graft material, then permeability is enhanced for tissue integration, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical drilling or cutting methods with laser drilling technology. The laser beam provides non-contact, precise material removal without mechanical tool wear or contamination. This substitution enables complex porous patterns to be created with high precision while simplifying the manufacturing process by eliminating mechanical tooling and reducing post-processing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser drilling process allows precise control of permeability parameters including pore size, pore density, and pattern geometry by adjusting laser parameters such as power, pulse duration, scanning speed, and focal position. This parametric control enables optimization of tissue integration properties without requiring complex manufacturing steps, as all variations are achieved through software-controlled parameter changes.
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 enhanced permeability of the stent-graft facilitates tissue integration, reduces the risk of endoleaks, and prevents migration by allowing cell recruitment and proliferation, while maintaining mechanical strength.
Implementation Method 1
A laser is used to form openings within a graft material to selectively enhance permeability of a prosthesis for tissue integration therein
Data Source
AI summary
A laser is used to form openings within a graft material to selectively enhance permeability of a prosthesis for tissue integration therein. A feature of utilizing a laser to create the openings for tissue integration builds from its tunability. More particularly, the laser precisely places openings in any pattern and location, and on any textile that forms the graft material. Further, the power and focus of the laser is precisely adjusted to control the diameter and shape of the openings. All parameters of the openings can be controlled at will, allowing for the opportunity to selectively enhance and optimize the permeability of the graft material in a vessel.