Occluder Without Locking Member for Curved Vessel Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional occluders, whether made of shape memory alloys or absorbable high-molecular materials, face challenges such as permanent retention in the body, difficulty in loading and positioning due to rigidity, and instability in curved vessels, especially with the presence of a locking member that increases rigidity and complicates passage through vascular structures.
Innovation Solution
An occluder design without a locking member, featuring a high-molecular material occluding frame with a specific structure and a conveying device that includes an adjusting member with a pre-bending portion and a pushing member, allowing for axial stretching and flexible positioning within the occluding frame, facilitating loading and navigation through curved vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a locking member is added to assist axial stretching of the occluder, then the occluder can be straightened and loaded into the conveying sheath, but the rigidity of the occluder increases, making it difficult to convey through curved vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The occluding frame is divided into multiple occluding units (first, middle, and second occluding units) connected by waist portions. This segmentation allows each unit to be independently positioned and shaped, enabling the occluder to maintain structural integrity during loading while flexing smoothly through curved vessels after deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The occluding frame transitions from a flexible state during conveying to a stabilized state after deployment. The waist portions and occluding units are designed to maintain relative positions during loading but allow dynamic adjustment once deployed, enabling the occluder to adapt to curved vessel paths without requiring a rigid locking member.
2Manufacturing precision
If a locking member is added to maintain axial stretching of the occluder, then the occluder can be positioned accurately, but the structure becomes more complex and the locking member may affect length adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning and length adjustment functions are merged into the occluding frame structure itself through the coordinated arrangement of occluding units and waist portions. The relative positions of these units are designed to maintain axial stretching inherently, eliminating the need for a separate locking member while preserving positioning accuracy and allowing length adjustment.
3Reliability
If high-molecular materials are used for the occluder, then the material can be degraded and absorbed by the body, but the occluder becomes softer and more difficult to form with worse mesh stability
Solution Approach 1:
The occluding frame is constructed from high-molecular materials with specific structural characteristics that combine biodegradability with sufficient mechanical strength. The multi-unit design with waist portions provides structural support while maintaining the inherent biocompatibility and degradation properties of high-molecular materials.
Data Source
AI summary
An occluder, an occluding system, and a conveying device are provided. The occluder includes an occluding frame. The occluding frame includes a first occluding unit, a middle portion occluding unit, a second occluding unit, and waist portions. Both ends of the middle portion occluding unit are connected to the first occluding unit and the second occluding unit, respectively, by the waist portions. A fixing member is sleeved on each waist portion. A channel is formed at a middle portion of each fixing member. The occluding frame has an inner cavity. A first opening is formed on the first occluding unit. A second opening is formed on the second occluding unit. The first opening, the channel, the inner cavity, and the second opening are communicated to form a path. A locking member can be omitted in the occluder.