Nested Catheter System for Minimally Invasive Heart Valve Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices for delivering and implanting heart valves are invasive and require significant recovery time, with existing methods often being inefficient for accessing and treating cardiovascular system issues, particularly in treating defective heart valves.
Innovation Solution
A medical device system comprising an outer shaft, an inner catheter, an actuation shaft, translation members, and a grouping coil, which allows for the percutaneous delivery and deployment of a heart valve by translating and adjusting the components along the longitudinal axis to reduce the profile of the device while maintaining strength and flexibility, enabling less invasive procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If traditional medical devices for delivering heart valves are used, then the device can deliver the heart valve, but the profile of the device is large and it cannot access tortuous and narrow body lumens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested configuration where the inner catheter is positioned within the outer shaft, and the translation members are contained within the inner catheter. This nesting arrangement allows multiple functional components to be housed within each other, significantly reducing the overall profile of the delivery device while maintaining all necessary functional elements for heart valve deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into multiple segmented components including the outer shaft, inner catheter, actuation shaft, and multiple translation members. Each segment can be independently manipulated and positioned, allowing the overall device profile to be reduced while maintaining structural integrity and functionality through modular design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the device profile is reduced to access narrow lumens, then the device can access tortuous body lumens, but the structural strength and flexibility are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes flexible catheter constructions with layered structures that provide both flexibility for navigating tortuous body lumens and structural stability for supporting the heart valve deployment mechanism. The flexible shell design allows the device to conform to narrow and curved anatomical pathways while maintaining sufficient rigidity when actuated.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs composite material constructions in the catheter and shaft components, combining materials with different mechanical properties to achieve optimal balance between flexibility for navigation and structural strength for valve deployment. The composite structure allows the device to adapt to narrow lumens while maintaining compositional stability.
3Reliability
If multiple components are used for heart valve deployment, then the deployment function is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components into an integrated delivery system where the outer shaft, inner catheter, actuation shaft, and translation members work together as a coordinated unit. This merging of functions into a single integrated device achieves reliable heart valve deployment while managing overall system complexity through unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The device design allows components to serve multiple functions; for example, the inner catheter serves as both a structural support element and a pathway for the translation members, while the translation members both move the heart valve and provide positioning control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
Data Source
AI summary
Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example system for delivering an implantable medical device includes an outer shaft having a proximal end, a distal portion and a lumen extending therein. The system includes an inner catheter, wherein the inner catheter extends within at least a portion of the lumen of the outer shaft. The system also includes an actuation shaft extending within a portion of the lumen of the inner shaft, wherein a distal end of the actuation shaft is coupled to a coupling member. The system also includes a plurality of translation members coupled to the implantable medical device and the coupling member. The system also includes a grouping coil wound around at least a portion of each of the plurality of translation members.