Occluding Catheter with Filtering Mesh for Stroke Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anti-embolic devices are complex, invasive, and pose a high risk of additional trauma to the inner vessel wall, failing to effectively prevent cerebral emboli and stroke during cardiovascular surgery, particularly due to their inability to capture small emboli and maintain bilateral occlusion of carotid arteries.
Innovation Solution
An occluding catheter with a filtering mesh is introduced into the circulatory system, featuring one or more balloons that can be inflated to block blood flow and a mesh that traps or deflects emboli, allowing for simultaneous occlusion and filtration of both carotid arteries, with adjustable pore sizes to capture emboli of various sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If intra-aortic filter devices are inserted into the ascending portion of the thoracic aorta via an aortic cannula, then embolic material can be captured, but the procedure causes major trauma to the aortic wall and acute aortic dissection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the aortic arch as an intermediary location to deploy filtering membranes that capture embolic material without requiring direct insertion into the ascending aorta. The membranes are positioned in the aortic arch where they can intercept emboli traveling to the carotid arteries, thereby avoiding direct contact with and trauma to the ascending aortic wall while still achieving embolic capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the aortic protection function into multiple segments by deploying separate filtering membranes at different locations within the aortic arch and carotid arteries. This segmentation allows the system to capture emboli at multiple points along the vascular pathway without requiring a single invasive device in the ascending aorta, thereby reducing overall trauma while maintaining comprehensive protection.
2Reliability
If intravascular filters with pore sizes of 60-140 μm are used, then some emboli can be captured, but emboli smaller than the pore size pass through resulting in cerebral microembolization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs filtering membranes with locally optimized pore sizes that are tailored to the specific vascular location and embolic risk. The membranes are designed with pore sizes and structural characteristics that are locally adapted to capture smaller embolic particles in critical areas such as the carotid arteries, while maintaining appropriate flow characteristics in different vascular segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes porous filtering membranes with controlled pore size distributions that can capture embolic material across a range of sizes. The porous structure is engineered to provide effective filtration of small emboli while maintaining adequate blood flow, addressing the limitation of conventional filters with fixed larger pore sizes that allow microemboli to pass through.
3Ease of operation
If guide wire insertion into carotid artery is performed, then catheter placement is enabled, but approximately 40,000 microemboli are generated with significant percentage smaller than 60 μm that are not retained by standard filters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deploys filtering membranes in the aortic arch and carotid arteries before performing catheterization procedures that generate emboli. By establishing the filtration barrier in advance, the system is positioned to capture microemboli as they are generated during guide wire insertion and other manipulations, rather than attempting to filter them after they have already formed and traveled downstream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the aortic arch filtering membranes as an intermediary barrier that intercepts microemboli generated during carotid artery procedures. Rather than relying on filters placed directly in the carotid arteries (which would require additional invasive manipulation), the aortic arch membranes serve as a upstream interception point that captures emboli before they enter the carotid circulation.
4Reliability
If additional hardware is inserted into the arterial system or aorta, then embolic protection can be provided, but the procedure is associated with aortic dissection, bleeding, thrombosis, and carotid cerebral embolization and stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the aortic arch as an intermediary location that provides embolic protection without requiring direct hardware insertion into the carotid arteries or ascending aorta. The filtering membranes are deployed in the aortic arch where they can intercept emboli traveling to the brain, thereby providing protection while avoiding the most dangerous vascular segments and reducing the risk of procedure-related complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical approach of inserting rigid filters or occluding devices directly into the carotid arteries with a more compliant membrane-based system deployed in the aortic arch. This substitution reduces mechanical trauma to the vessel walls while maintaining embolic capture functionality through the porous membrane structure.
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
The occluding catheter effectively prevents emboli from entering the brain by blocking and filtering both carotid arteries, reducing the risk of stroke and cerebral embolization, while minimizing trauma to the vessel walls and allowing for continuous cerebral perfusion during surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the occluding catheter has one or more balloons for occluding flow to the brain
Implementation Method 2
a filtering mesh that is expanded to cover an outer surface of the occluding balloon when the occluding balloon is in the deflated state
Implementation Method 3
When the occluding catheter is in the inflated state, the occluding catheter deflects flow of blood and emboli from the carotid artery into the descending aorta
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter for prevention of stroke by diverting and filtering the blood flow to carotid and vertebral arteries is provided. The catheter includes at least one balloon with an outer mesh cover that expands upon the balloon inflation and stays expanded after the balloon is deflated. The inflation of the balloon in the aortic arch or head vessels provides the deflection of embolic particles from the cerebral circulation and expands the outer mesh that provides for filtering and deflection of cerebral emboli after the balloon is deflated. An associated method of prevention of cerebral emboli and embolic stroke is provided.