Mitral Valve Stent with Dynamic Arms for Secure Anchoring

Solution Overview

Problem

Current minimally invasive techniques for replacing heart valves, particularly mitral valves, face challenges due to limited space within the vasculature and the risk of injuring calcified atheromatous plaques, with existing solutions lacking effective methods for reliable and durable valve replacement.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible-expandable tubular stent made of shape-memory material with a proximal and distal ring structure and axially extending posts, allowing for repositioning and secure anchoring within the heart, utilizing strings to control arm movement and expansion, enabling a minimally invasive percutaneous approach for mitral valve replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If minimally invasive percutaneous approach is used for mitral valve replacement, then trauma and recovery time are reduced, but the risk of injuring calcified atheromatous plaques and device delivery difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveminimally invasive approachVSAvoidrisk of injuring calcified atheromatous plaques

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthetic valve device is nested within a delivery catheter in a compressed state, allowing it to be delivered through the femoral artery and aortic valve to the mitral valve position via a minimally invasive percutaneous approach. The device is then expanded from its nested state to its functional configuration at the implantation site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The prosthetic valve device employs dynamic arms that can be selectively positioned and adjusted after deployment. The arms are initially contained within the delivery catheter and are subsequently extended and positioned to engage the native mitral valve annulus, providing adaptability to different anatomical configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If a larger orifice opening is provided for mitral valve replacement, then blood flow is improved, but the device size and delivery difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood flow through valveVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthetic valve device is nested within a delivery catheter in a compressed state, allowing it to be delivered through the femoral artery and aortic valve to the mitral valve position via a minimally invasive percutaneous approach. The device is then expanded from its nested state to its functional configuration at the implantation site.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The prosthetic valve device employs dynamic arms that can be selectively positioned and adjusted after deployment. The arms are initially contained within the delivery catheter and are subsequently extended and positioned to engage the native mitral valve annulus, providing adaptability to different anatomical configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If secure anchoring is achieved within the heart, then device stability is improved, but the complexity of device structure and implantation procedure increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice anchoring stabilityVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthetic valve device is divided into distinct functional components: a valve body, multiple adjustable arms, and connection elements. The arms can be independently positioned and adjusted to engage specific anatomical landmarks, allowing for simplified implantation while achieving secure anchoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The prosthetic valve device employs dynamic arms that can be selectively positioned and adjusted after deployment. The arms are initially contained within the delivery catheter and are subsequently extended and positioned to engage the native mitral valve annulus, providing adaptability to different anatomical configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Facilitates minimally invasive mitral valve replacement with reduced trauma and risk of complications, allowing for a larger orifice opening and improved durability, while maintaining secure anchoring within the heart, thus reducing the need for open-heart surgery and minimizing blood clot formation.

Implementation Method 1

A collapsible-expandable tubular stent made of shape-memory material with a proximal and distal ring structure and axially extending posts

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShape memory: Shape Memory Alloy

Data Source

PatentEP3037064B1Minimally invasive mitral valve replacement with brim

Publication Date: 2018.03.14 VENUS MEDTECH (HANGZHOU) INC

Figure 1~3
Figure 1a~3a
Figure 4~5

AI summary

A collapsible-expandable tubular stent (29) constructed of shape-memory material which is implantable into a human heart, which comprises proximal and distal rings (71, 73) and at least two spaced apart posts (69) that extend axially between said rings (71, 73), said distal ring (73) comprising a plurality of distal arms (77) which are connected to the distal ring (73) at only one end and which have a free opposite end; said proximal ring (71) comprising a plurality of, which are connected at only one end to the proximal ring (71) and which have a free opposite end, which proximal arms (75) are constructed to swing radially outward at their free ends.