Plasma-Treated PVDF/HFP Foam for Vascular Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vaso-occlusive devices, such as embolic coils, face challenges in promoting consistent and long-term thrombogenicity and preventing re-canalization in vascular occlusions, with issues related to thrombolytic responses and inadequate control over the exposure of thrombogenic materials.
Innovation Solution
The use of a polymer, specifically poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF/HFP), treated with plasma gas to enhance thrombogenic properties, creating a non-absorbable, porous foam coating that improves cell compatibility and facilitates thrombus formation and neointima formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a polymer coating is applied to enhance thrombogenic properties, then platelet adhesion and thrombus formation are improved, but the polymer may induce a thrombolytic response instead of a thrombogenic response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies plasma treatment to modify the surface parameters of the polymer coating, specifically introducing polar groups and changing surface energy characteristics. This parameter change transforms the polymer surface from thrombolytic to thrombogenic, enabling consistent platelet adhesion and thrombus formation without inducing harmful thrombolytic responses.
Solution Approach 2:
Plasma treatment acts as a strong oxidizing process that chemically modifies the polymer surface. The plasma exposure creates oxygen-containing functional groups (carboxyl, hydroxyl, carbonyl) on the polymer surface, which accelerate the oxidation process and fundamentally change the surface chemistry to promote thrombogenicity rather than thrombolysis.
2Reliability
If plasma treatment is applied to enhance thrombogenicity, then platelet adhesion is improved, but the treatment process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex chemical modification processes with plasma treatment, which achieves similar or superior thrombogenic effects through a more controllable and standardized physical-chemical process. The plasma treatment can be applied uniformly to polymer surfaces without requiring multiple chemical baths, drying steps, or complex reagent handling.
3Volume of stationary object
If a foam coating is used to increase occlusion volume, then the degree of occlusion is improved, but the surface area available for thrombus formation may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the porous structure of foam coatings and applies plasma treatment to the internal surfaces of these pores. The plasma treatment penetrates the foam structure and modifies the surface chemistry throughout the porous network, creating thrombogenic surfaces throughout the entire volume rather than just on the external surface. This maintains the volume advantage of foam while maximizing the effective surface area for thrombus formation within the pore 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 plasma-treated PVDF/HFP polymer coating enhances platelet adhesion and thrombus formation, reducing the risk of re-canalization and improving the long-term occlusion of blood vessels, thereby reducing the risk of aneurysm rupture.
Implementation Method 1
a polymer is disposed about the vaso-occlusive device and the polymer is exposed to plasma gas
Data Source
AI summary
Vaso-occlusive devices are provided that have a polymer foam disposed about them. The polymer is treated with a plasma to facilitate thrombogenicity. A method for making and using such devices also is provided. The preferred polymer is a copolymer of a halogenated vinylidene and a halogenated alkene.