Nested Inner-Outer Stent Valve for Small-Catheter Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional prosthetic heart valves often have an undesirably large diameter due to the stacking of functional valve elements and native anatomy engagement members, making them difficult to deliver through small delivery devices.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic heart valve system with an outer stent and an inner stent supporting a valve assembly, connected by transitionable linking members that allow the inner stent to be axially spaced or nested within the outer stent, reducing the overall diameter for delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional prosthetic heart valves stack functional valve elements and native anatomy engagement members, then the valve structure is complete and functional, but the diameter becomes undesirably large making delivery difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The inner stent is nested within the outer stent in a telescoping arrangement, with the inner stent positioned inside the outer stent's structure. This nesting configuration reduces the overall diameter of the prosthetic heart valve assembly, enabling delivery through smaller catheters while maintaining all necessary functional components including the valve leaflets and anchoring structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The prosthetic heart valve is divided into separate functional components: an outer stent providing structural support and anchoring, an inner stent supporting the valve assembly, and transitionable linking members connecting them. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates the nested configuration that reduces overall diameter.
2Ease of operation
If the inner stent is axially spaced from the outer stent, then the valve assembly is accessible for deployment, but the overall diameter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transitionable linking members connect the inner stent to the outer stent in a dynamic configuration, allowing the inner stent to be positioned axially spaced from the outer stent during delivery for accessibility, then transition to a nested configuration during deployment to reduce diameter. The linking members enable this dynamic repositioning between states.
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
Enables the use of smaller delivery devices by allowing the inner stent to be partially nested within the outer stent, facilitating minimally invasive procedures and reducing the risk of paravalvular leakage.
Implementation Method 1
at least one stretchable member coupling the outer stent to the inner stent, the at least one stretchable member being transitionable between an expanded condition and a collapsed condition
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1E
Figure 1F~1H
AI summary
In some examples, a prosthetic heart valve system includes an outer stent, an inner stent coupled to the outer stent, the inner stent supporting a valve assembly including a cuff and a plurality of leaflets, and at least one linking member coupling the outer stent to the inner stent, the at least one linking member being transitionable between a collapsed condition and a relaxed condition, the inner stent being axially spaced away from the outer stent when the at least one linking member is in the collapsed condition, and the inner stent being at least partially nested within the outer stent when the at least one linking member is in the relaxed condition.