Modular Covered Stent With Flexible Side Branches
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vascular medical devices, such as covered stents and stent grafts, face challenges in precise alignment with side branch vessels during implantation, leading to misalignment, kinking, and increased risk of vessel damage, which prolongs operation time, increases radiation exposure, and complicates the implantation procedure.
Innovation Solution
A modular covered stent system with flexible and expandable side branches that can be individually positioned and connected, using a guiding element and navigation elements like guide wires and sutures to facilitate precise alignment and deployment, reducing the need for extensive fluoroscopic scanning and allowing for easier assembly and repositioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If modular covered stents with open circular apertures are used for alignment with branch vessels, then liquid communication between main vessel and branch vessels can be established, but the risk of vessel wall damage increases during navigation and positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces open circular apertures with a flexible membrane that can be selectively punctured. The membrane acts as a protective barrier during navigation, preventing vessel wall damage, while allowing controlled access to branch vessels when needed. This resolves the contradiction by providing both protection during positioning and liquid communication when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane serves as a pre-prepared protective barrier that cushions the vessel wall during the navigation and positioning phases. By having this protective layer in place before the actual branching procedure, the system prevents harmful effects during the most critical phases of insertion and alignment.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the main vessel covered stent is expanded and deployed, then structural stability is achieved, but re-positioning becomes impossible leading to misalignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dynamic system where the membrane transitions from a flexible, movable state during navigation to a fixed, stable state after puncturing and branching. This allows the stent to be re-positioned while the membrane is flexible, then achieves stability once the branching is complete and the membrane is secured.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent system is divided into separate functional components: the main stent structure provides structural stability, while the flexible membrane provides operational flexibility. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function without compromising the other - the stent remains stable while the membrane enables re-positioning when needed.
3Measurement precision
If extensive fluoroscopic scanning is performed to find branch vessels, then alignment precision is improved, but operation time and radiation exposure increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses radiopaque markers or contrast indicators on the membrane and stent components that change visibility or provide clear visual cues under fluoroscopy. This enhances the operator's ability to quickly identify branch vessel locations and alignment status, reducing the time needed for extensive scanning while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is pre-positioned and pre-aligned with the intended branch vessel path before the actual puncturing procedure. This preliminary positioning reduces the need for extensive fluoroscopic scanning during the critical branching phase, as the alignment has already been established in advance.
4Adaptability or versatility
If open circular apertures are used in modular stents, then side branch vessel access is enabled, but kinking and reduced blood flow occur due to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane can be selectively punctured at the optimal location to access the branch vessel, ensuring proper alignment. Once punctured, the membrane creates a controlled opening that maintains structural integrity and prevents kinking, thereby ensuring continuous blood flow while providing adaptability for branch access.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane acts as an intermediary between the main vessel and the branch vessel. It provides a controlled transition zone that maintains proper alignment and structural support, preventing the misalignment and kinking that would occur with direct open apertures while still enabling blood flow to the branch vessel.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application discloses a covered stent and a method for navigating the covered stent to a branch vessel, the covered stent comprising a main body and at least one lateral side branch connected to the main body, wherein the lateral side branch is flexible and expandable. A system of covered stents and a method for interconnecting the covered stents is also disclosed.