Mechanical Venous Clot Retrieval for Chronic Fibrin Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current therapies for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are lengthy, invasive, and often cause vessel trauma, with no effective methods for removing chronic fibrin or preventing re-stenosis, and existing devices are complex and expensive.
Innovation Solution
A treatment device comprising a core member, an inner member, a helical outer member, and a flexible material with apertures or baffles, which transitions from a low-profile configuration for delivery to an expanded configuration for clot engagement and removal, allowing continuous hemostasis and minimal vessel dilation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thrombolytic agents are used to treat DVT and PE, then clot dissolution can be achieved, but treatment takes prolonged time (hours to days) and can cause hemorrhaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical thrombolytic agents with a mechanical device that physically removes clots through a helical extraction mechanism. The device is delivered via catheter to the clot site and mechanically extracts the clot from the vessel, eliminating the prolonged chemical dissolution process and associated hemorrhage risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention directly extracts and removes the clot from the vessel using a helical extraction member that engages the clot and pulls it out through the catheter. This extraction approach immediately removes the obstruction without requiring prolonged treatment time or chemical agents.
2Productivity
If transcatheter clot removal devices are used, then clot removal can be achieved, but devices are highly complex, prone to cause vessel trauma, hard to navigate, and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into simple functional segments: a catheter for delivery, a helical extraction member for clot engagement and removal, and a flexible material for vessel support. This segmentation creates a less complex overall system compared to integrated complex mechanical thrombectomy devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible material that extends between the inner member and helical outer member to provide vessel support while allowing the device to navigate vessels. This flexible component reduces device rigidity and complexity while maintaining clot removal capability.
3Productivity
If current therapeutic approaches are used, then acute clot treatment can be achieved, but chronic fibrin and scar tissue remain, leading to early re-accumulation of clot or re-stenosis
Solution Approach 1:
The device serves multiple functions: it removes acute clots through mechanical extraction and simultaneously addresses chronic fibrin and scar tissue through the flexible material that contacts and helps remove these residual substances. This multi-functionality prevents re-stenosis by addressing both acute and chronic obstructive elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible material continuously contacts the vessel wall and residual fibrin during device withdrawal, providing ongoing removal action. This continuous action ensures that both acute clot and chronic fibrin are addressed in a single procedure, preventing early re-accumulation.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for removal of clot material from a treatment site in a blood vessel, particularly in venous vasculature. A treatment device (101) can include a core member (115) having a distal portion (109) and an inner coil (111) surrounding the distal portion of the core member. A helical outer member (113) surrounds at least a portion of the inner coil, and a sheet of flexible material (117) extends between the inner coil and the helical outer member, such that the sheet extends helically around the inner coil to provide a surface for clot engagement at the treatment site.