Prosthetic Mitral Valve Anchoring for Minimally Invasive Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive techniques for replacing the mitral valve are limited, leaving many patients without treatment options due to the complex subvalvular apparatus of the mitral valve, particularly the chordae tendinae, which are not present in the aortic valve.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic mitral valve apparatus with a radially compressible and self-expandable frame, featuring ventricular anchors and an atrial sealing member, is designed for secure implantation at the native mitral valve region, utilizing ventricular anchors to capture leaflets and an atrial sealing member to prevent paravalvular leakage, with delivery systems enabling minimally invasive implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If open heart surgery is used to replace the mitral valve, then the valve replacement can be performed definitively, but the procedure is highly invasive and prone to complications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical open heart surgery system with a catheter-based delivery system. The prosthetic valve is delivered through a catheter that is inserted percutaneously through the femoral artery and navigated to the mitral valve position, eliminating the need for sternotomy, cardiopulmonary bypass, and direct surgical manipulation of the heart.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a catheter as an intermediary device to deliver the prosthetic valve to the target site. The catheter serves as a conduit that allows the valve to be positioned at the mitral valve annulus without requiring direct surgical access to the heart, thereby reducing invasiveness while maintaining replacement effectiveness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If transvascular technique is used to implant prosthetic valve, then invasiveness is reduced, but the technique is not applicable to mitral valve due to complex subvalvular apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the anchoring mechanism into multiple independent components: ventricular anchors with hooks for engaging chordae tendineae, and atrial sealing members for sealing the annulus. This segmentation allows each component to address specific anatomical features of the mitral valve, making the overall system adaptable to the complex mitral valve structure while maintaining minimally invasive delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional anchoring approach by using ventricular anchors that extend outward to engage chordae tendineae, rather than relying on the valve frame alone for anchoring. This inversion allows the prosthetic valve to be securely anchored in the mitral position by utilizing the chordae as anchoring points, thereby enabling transvascular delivery to the mitral valve.
3Reliability
If prosthetic valve is designed with ventricular anchors and atrial sealing member, then secure implantation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the anchoring and sealing functions into a single integrated prosthetic valve assembly. The ventricular anchors and atrial sealing members are combined with the valve frame and leaflets to form a unified device that provides both secure anchoring and sealing in one implantation procedure, thereby achieving reliable fixation without requiring multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the prosthetic valve with multi-functional components: the ventricular anchors serve both as anchoring elements and as structures that engage chordae tendineae, while the atrial sealing members provide both sealing and structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby managing device complexity while ensuring secure implantation.
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 prosthetic mitral valve effectively secures itself within the native mitral valve annulus, remodels the left ventricle, and reduces paravalvular leakage, providing a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with defective mitral valves.
Implementation Method 1
the frame is radially compressible to a radially compressed state and self-expandable from the compressed state to an expanded state
Implementation Method 2
a leaflet-receiving space between the ventricular anchor and an outer surface of the main body increases to receive a native valve leaflet therebetween. When the main body self-expands to the expanded state... the space decreases to capture the leaflet between the main body and the ventricular anchor
Implementation Method 3
an atrial sealing member to prevent paravalvular leakage
Data Source
AI summary
A system for replacing a native valve of the heart includes a delivery apparatus having a sheath and a prosthetic valve. The prosthetic valve includes a frame having an annular main body, a plurality of ventricular anchors attached to the main body, an atrial anchor attached to an atrial end portion of the main body, and a valve structure disposed within the main body of the frame. The prosthetic valve is disposed within a distal end portion of the sheath in a compressed, delivery state. When the prosthetic valve is deployed from the sheath, the main body of the frame radially expands to a radially expanded state, the ventricular anchors expand to a deployed state alongside the main body of the frame for capturing native leaflets of the native valve, and the atrial anchor expands to a deployed state extending radially outwardly from the main body.