Mitral Valve Annulus Reshaping via Dilated Tissue Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distortion of the annulus in heart valves, such as the tricuspid valve, leads to improper valve closure, causing blood regurgitation, which existing methods often require open heart surgery to correct by attaching a ring or support, but this is invasive and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A delivery tool is used to dilate the annulus, allowing a self-expanding valve support with hooks to be attached to the tissue along the annulus, which then contracts to maintain a healthy shape and size, potentially reducing the need for clear visualization during surgery and shortening procedure duration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ring or support is attached to the annulus during open heart surgery to restore its shape, then the valve closure is improved, but the surgical time and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The annulus is dilated to a predetermined configuration before the valve support is attached to the tissue. This preliminary dilation creates optimal conditions for support attachment, allowing the support to be placed while the annulus is in an expanded, more compliant state, thereby reducing the time required for the entire procedure
Solution Approach 2:
A delivery tool with a tapered head is used as an intermediary device to facilitate the attachment process. The tapered head engages the annulus to maintain dilation while allowing the valve support to be attached to the tissue, then the support contracts independently to maintain the corrected shape
2Shape
If a delivery tool with tapered head is used to dilate the annulus, then the annulus can be maintained in a healthy configuration, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered head of the delivery tool is designed to automatically engage and maintain the annulus in a dilated configuration through its geometric shape alone, without requiring additional active control mechanisms. The taper itself provides the necessary mechanical advantage for engagement and maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery tool changes the physical state of the annulus by applying mechanical force to transition it from a distorted to a dilated configuration. The tapered head progressively expands the annulus through controlled engagement, maintaining it in a healthy configuration during support attachment
3Ease of operation
If the valve support is attached to the tool before the annulus is dilated, then the attachment process is simplified, but the support cannot be properly positioned
Solution Approach 1:
The annulus is dilated to a predetermined configuration before the valve support is attached to the tissue. This preliminary dilation creates optimal conditions for support attachment, allowing the support to be placed while the annulus is in an expanded, more compliant state
Solution Approach 2:
The valve support is designed to be expandable and contractable. It is expanded to a delivery configuration for easy attachment to the dilated annulus, then contracts to its final size after attachment to maintain the corrected shape. The support transitions from a flexible attachment state to a rigid maintenance state
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 method allows for rapid and minimally invasive attachment of a valve support that maintains the annulus in a healthy configuration, reducing regurgitation and shortening surgical time, while accommodating various valve sizes and allowing blood flow during attachment.
Implementation Method 1
The annulus of a heart valve is caused to dilate to a predetermined configuration by forcing a tapered head of a delivery tool into the heart valve in a direction axial to the annulus
Implementation Method 2
a self-expanding valve support with hooks to be attached to the tissue along the annulus, which then contracts to maintain a healthy shape and size
Data Source
AI summary
In general, in an aspect, an annulus of a heart valve is caused to dilate to a predetermined configuration by pushing a delivery tool distally through the annulus from one heart chamber to another heart chamber. A valve support is attached to the delivery tool. The valve support has a plurality of barbs or hooks attached thereon. While the annulus is dilated, the valve support is attached to tissue at locations along the annulus by attaching the barbs or hooks to the tissue. After attachment, the support is caused to contract.