Multi-Tube Urethral Implant Delivery for Accurate Atraumatic Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge lies in developing a minimally-invasive and atraumatic system for delivering implants into the prostatic urethra, which is complex due to its tortuous anatomy and patient-to-patient variability, making accurate and consistent placement difficult.

Innovation Solution

A delivery system comprising a delivery device with multiple tubular components and a proximal control device, allowing for the deployment of self-expanding implants with atraumatic configurations, steerable mechanisms, and anchoring systems to navigate and secure the implant within the urethra, ensuring precise placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a minimally-invasive delivery system is used to navigate tortuous urethral anatomy, then patient trauma is reduced and procedure safety is improved, but the ability to achieve accurate and consistent implant placement deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue traumaVSAvoidimplant placement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery system is divided into multiple tubular components (outer tube, inner tube, intermediate tube) that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the system to navigate tortuous anatomy through flexible, staged deployment while maintaining precise control over implant placement through coordinated manipulation of each tubular segment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary positioning and stabilization actions before final implant deployment. The delivery device includes features such as distal engagement structures and controlled expansion mechanisms that prepare the implant site and ensure proper positioning before the implant is fully deployed, thereby achieving both minimal trauma and high placement accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the delivery system is made highly flexible to accommodate tortuous anatomy, then ease of navigation through the urethra is improved, but control precision for accurate implant deployment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanatomical accommodationVSAvoiddeployment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery system employs multiple tubular components with different flexibility characteristics. The outer tube provides structural support and control, while inner tubes provide flexibility for navigation. This segmented architecture allows the system to adapt to tortuous anatomy while maintaining precise deployment control through the stiffer outer tube structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The delivery system utilizes dynamic, controlled expansion and contraction of tubular components during deployment. The system transitions from a compact, flexible configuration for navigation to an expanded, more rigid configuration for precise implant deployment, allowing both anatomical accommodation and deployment precision to be achieved at different stages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11998438B2Systems, devices, and methods for the accurate deployment of an implant in the prostatic urethra

Publication Date: 2024.06.04 ZENFLOW INC

AI summary

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for the delivery of an implant into the prostatic urethra. Embodiments of delivery systems can include a delivery device for insertion into the patient and a proximal control device for use in controlling release of the implant from the delivery device.