Mobile External Coupling Sealing Cuff for Branch Vessel Connection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current stent-grafts face challenges in effectively sealing and directing blood flow from the main aorta to branch vessels, particularly at thoracic aneurysm locations, due to issues with fenestrations not forming a tight seal and branch stent-grafts often failing to provide unobstructed flow paths.
Innovation Solution
The development of an endovascular prosthesis with a tubular body and a mobile external coupling that includes a frustoconically shaped coupling with a cylindrical sealing cuff, allowing for alignment and expansion to create an elongated interference seal with branch vessels, and an internal sealing cuff to enhance sealing and prevent leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fenestrations are used in stent-grafts to accommodate side branches, then blood flow to branch vessels is enabled, but tight sealing between the graft and vessel wall cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The stent-graft is segmented into multiple components: a main body with fenestrations for branch vessel access, and separate sealing cuffs (internal and external) that can be independently positioned and expanded. This segmentation allows the fenestrations to provide branch flow while the dedicated sealing cuffs create tight seals at the vessel-graft interface, resolving the contradiction between enabling branch flow and achieving reliable sealing.
2Reliability
If stent-grafts are deployed to seal against the aorta wall, then aneurysm exclusion is achieved, but branch arteries may be covered or occluded
Solution Approach 1:
The stent-graft employs local quality by providing different structural characteristics at different locations: the main body provides radial support and sealing against the aorta wall, while fenestrations with associated sealing cuffs and branch conduits are locally positioned at branch artery origins. This allows the graft to seal effectively against the aorta while maintaining patency of branch arteries through localized openings and sealing mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fenestrations are used to allow branch vessel access, then branch perfusion is maintained, but blood leakage occurs between the graft and vessel wall
Solution Approach 1:
Sealing cuffs serve as intermediary elements between the stent-graft and the vessel wall. These cuffs are positioned within the fenestrations and expand to create a sealing interface that prevents blood leakage. The intermediary sealing cuffs bridge the gap between the need for open fenestrations (for branch access) and the need to prevent leakage, effectively mediating the contradiction.
4Reliability
If stent-grafts are made to seal tightly at branch origins, then leakage is prevented, but alignment and positioning become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The stent-graft incorporates dynamic elements including a mobile external coupling that can move and align with branch vessels after deployment. The sealing cuffs are designed to expand dynamically upon deployment, allowing the device to self-align with the branch vessel geometry. This dynamic adaptability simplifies positioning while maintaining reliable sealing, resolving the contradiction between tight sealing and ease of alignment.
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
This solution provides a secure and unobstructed flow path for blood into branch vessels, reducing leakage and ensuring effective sealing even with pulsatile expansion and movement, thus addressing the limitations of existing stent-graft designs.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing cuff is configured to contact a portion of the branch vessel prosthesis and thereby provides an elongated interference seal between the branch vessel prosthesis and the mobile external coupling
Implementation Method 2
ensuring effective sealing even with pulsatile expansion and movement
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5A~5B
Figure 6~8
AI summary
An endovascular prosthesis (100) includes a tubular body and a mobile external coupling (120). The tubular body includes a graft material and stents (110) coupled thereto, a forms a lumen therethrough. The mobile external coupling extends outwardly from the tubular body. The mobile external coupling includes a graft material and is generally frustoconically shaped. The mobile external coupling includes a base coupled to the tubular body, a top (126) spaced from the tubular body, and a coupling lumen (130) disposed between the base and the top, wherein the coupling lumen is in flow communication with the body lumen. A cylindrical sealing cuff (134) of graft material is attached to and extends from the top of the mobile external coupling towards the tubular body within the coupling lumen. The sealing cuff is configured to contact a portion of a branch vessel prosthesis and thereby provides an elongated interference seal between the branch vessel prosthesis and the mobile external coupling.