Mitral Suturing Catheter with Catch Needles for Percutaneous Repair

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing percutaneous mitral valve repair techniques face challenges such as difficulty in positioning clips on severely damaged flaps, limited ability to apply multiple suturing points, and inability to remove incorrectly positioned sutures, necessitating a more effective and versatile system for mitral insufficiency reduction.

Innovation Solution

A suturing catheter system comprising a suturing catheter with suture and catch needles, a knotting catheter for filament knotting, and a cutting catheter for filament ends, allowing percutaneous application of multiple suturing points and removal of incorrectly positioned sutures using an 'edge to edge' technique.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a small metal prosthesis or clip is positioned percutaneously in the heart, then the procedure avoids open heart surgery, but it is not possible to position the clip on severely damaged flaps and only a single suturing point can be placed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepercutaneous accessVSAvoidapplicability to damaged flaps and number of suturing points
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the mitral valve repair into multiple independent suturing points, each treated separately with individual catheters. This allows multiple separate interventions on different portions of the valve, enabling treatment of extensively damaged areas that a single clip cannot address

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter system is designed with universal applicability to treat various degrees of mitral valve damage through percutaneous access. The same basic catheter platform can deliver sutures to different locations and accommodate different suture configurations, making it versatile for both intact and severely damaged flaps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If a metal clip is positioned percutaneously, then the procedure is less invasive, but incorrect positioning cannot be corrected and the clip cannot be removed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepercutaneous accessVSAvoidcorrection of incorrect positioning
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The suture system allows for recovery and correction of incorrectly positioned sutures. Unlike permanent clips, the sutures can be manipulated, repositioned, or removed if placed incorrectly, enabling correction without additional invasive procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The suture system provides dynamic adjustability during the procedure. The sutures can be tensioned, repositioned, or removed while the catheter remains in place, allowing real-time corrections that static clips cannot accommodate

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If multiple suturing points are required for optimal mitral valve repair, then better repair outcomes are achieved, but conventional techniques only allow a single clip placement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemitral valve repair effectivenessVSAvoidnumber of suturing points
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The repair is segmented into multiple independent suturing points, each delivered by separate catheter interventions. This modular approach allows optimal repair outcomes through multiple sutures while maintaining procedural simplicity through standardized catheter platforms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple separate suture delivery catheters are combined into a coordinated system that works together to achieve the repair. The catheters can be introduced through the same percutaneous access point and manipulated in coordination to place multiple sutures efficiently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4125622B1Suturing catheter and system for percutaneously reducing mitral insufficiency
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 CARDIOVASCULAR SRL
  • EP4125622B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4125622B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4125622B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

At least one suture filament (1) folded into a "U" wherein each end is provided with a suture needle (13), - at least one pair of stylets (12), each provided with a catch needle (15); said suture and catch needles being provided with a connecting portion (132, 152) that can allow a catch needle (15) to mechanically engage with a suture needle (13); - a lever (110) comprising a stapling arm (112), from which suture needles (13) protrude, which, together with the catheter body (101), from which the catch needles (15) protrude, defines a catch zone (113) for a flap of a mitral valve; an opposite operating arm (114) which, together with the catheter body (101), defines an operating zone (115) of the lever (110).