Mitral Valve Prosthetic Ring with Circumflex Artery Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mitral valve prosthetics often cause damage to surrounding tissue and vasculature during surgical implantation, particularly in patients with anatomical variations where the circumflex artery is close to the mitral valve, leading to potential heart attack risks due to unrecoverable left ventricular infarction.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic ring or band with a gap in its circumference, specifically designed to avoid the circumflex artery region, made of resilient bio-compatible materials with increased stiffness in other areas to maintain valve function and prevent artery impingement, and optionally featuring a suture-permeable coating for secure fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complete annular prosthetic ring is used for mitral valve repair, then the valve geometric ratio is restored and valve function is improved, but the risk of damaging the circumflex artery and surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes a portion of the prosthetic ring to create a gap, specifically extracting the segment that would contact or impinge upon the circumflex artery. This extraction eliminates the harmful interaction between the prosthetic and the artery while preserving the valve-repairing portions of the ring, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining valve function and avoiding artery damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthetic ring is segmented into functional portions: sections that contact the mitral valve to restore geometric ratio and sections that are removed or omitted to avoid the circumflex artery. This segmentation allows different parts of the prosthetic to serve different purposes - some providing structural support for valve repair while others are intentionally absent to prevent vascular injury.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the prosthetic ring is made with increased stiffness to maintain valve function, then the valve geometric alignment is improved, but the risk of impingement on surrounding structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthetic ring exhibits local quality variations where stiffness is increased only in the portions needed to maintain valve geometric alignment and contact the mitral valve, while the portion corresponding to the circumflex artery region is either removed or made more compliant. This localized differentiation allows the prosthetic to be stiff where structural support is needed and absent or flexible where it would cause harm.
3Strength
If sutures are used to secure the prosthetic ring, then the fixation is strengthened, but the risk of artery impingement and myocardial infarction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the portion of the prosthetic ring that would require suturing near the circumflex artery, thereby eliminating the need for sutures in the high-risk zone. This extraction prevents suture-related artery impingement and the associated risk of myocardial infarction, while the remaining portions of the ring can still be securely fixed using sutures away from the vulnerable vascular structures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A prosthetic ring or band (700) for repair of a mitral valve is disclosed, having a substantially annular form or a part annular form, wherein the prosthetic ring or band occupies at least a part of a shape having: preferably, a substantially straight base portion (710), configured to align with the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve; and a central curved portion (720), arranged opposite the base portion, having a first radius of curvature, Ri, and a first and second lateral curved portions located either side of the central curved portion; wherein the first and second lateral curved portions have a second radius of curvature, R 2,; wherein R 2 > Ri; and wherein at least a portion of one of the first or second lateral curved portions is removed. Related methods of preparation of such rings or bands and repair of mitral valves in human or animal hearts with such rings or bands are also disclosed.