Plaque Tack Endoluminal Device for Vessel Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current stenting methods for treating atherosclerotic occlusive disease face challenges such as recurrent stenosis, stent fracture, and excessive material usage, which lead to reduced long-term success and increased complications like neointimal hyperplasia and restenosis.

Innovation Solution

A self-expanding endoluminal device, known as a plaque tack, is designed for precise positioning within a vessel, featuring a circumferential member with outward and inward apices and bridge members, allowing for radial compression and expansion to hold loose plaque against the vessel wall, minimizing foreign material contact and scaffolding effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional stents are used to hold open the artery after angioplasty, then the artery remains open with adequate lumen, but recurrent stenosis and neointimal hyperplasia occur due to excessive scaffolding effects and foreign material contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelong-term patencyVSAvoidneointimalhyperplasia

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is divided into multiple individual struts rather than a continuous structure. This segmentation reduces the total surface area of foreign material in contact with the vessel wall while maintaining structural support function, thereby reducing scaffolding effects and neointimalhyperplasia response

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stent design provides localized support only where needed rather than uniform scaffolding along the entire treated segment. The struts are positioned to provide focal reinforcement at sites of dissection or weakness while leaving other areas with minimal foreign material presence, reducing overall biological reaction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If greater pressure is applied during balloon angioplasty to achieve full dilatation, then the balloon reaches its intended size, but plaque disruption becomes more uncontrolled and dissection risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveballoon dilatation precisionVSAvoiddissection

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is pre-positioned at the treatment site before balloon inflation. This preliminary placement provides a constraint structure that guides and limits plaque disruption, preventing uncontrolled fracture and dissection while allowing controlled dilatation to occur within the stent framework

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stent structure acts as a protective framework in place before high-pressure inflation. This pre-positioned structure cushions and distributes the forces during balloon expansion, preventing concentrated stress points that would cause dissection while still achieving full dilatation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If stents are placed to treat dissection and hold open the artery, then acute occlusion is prevented, but stent fracture and recurrent stenosis occur over time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacute occlusion preventionVSAvoidstent fracture resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The stent design incorporates flexibility and adaptability through its strut configuration, allowing the structure to dynamically respond to vessel movement and stress without rigid fracture. The individual struts can flex and adjust to physiological forces while maintaining overall structural integrity and acute occlusion prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The stent utilizes materials and structural design that combine strength with flexibility, creating a composite-like structure that resists fracture while maintaining the ability to prevent acute occlusion. The design integrates different structural elements that work together to provide both immediate support and long-term durability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 plaque tack effectively maintains adequate lumen without the drawbacks of traditional stents, reducing recurrent stenosis, stent fracture, and vascular reaction, while allowing for targeted treatment with minimal foreign material contact, thus enhancing long-term patency and reducing adverse biological responses.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic recovery: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS10117762B2Endoluminal device and method

Publication Date: 2018.11.06 INTACT VASCULAR

AI summary

An endoluminal device can be configured for precise positioning during deployment within a vessel. The endoluminal device can be a tack, stent, vascular implant or other type of implant. The endoluminal device can have circumferential member with an undulating configuration having multiple inward and outward apexes and struts extending therebetween. Two of the struts can be used to establish a foot for the precise positioning of the device during deployment. A method of placing the endoluminal device can include withdrawing an outer sheath such that a portion of the endoluminal device is expanded prior to the rest of the endoluminal device.