Prosthetic Valve Angularly Offset Frames for Secure Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Ischemic heart disease causes regurgitation of heart valves due to papillary muscle dysfunction and ventricular dilatation, leading to incomplete valve closure and subsequent blood regurgitation, which increases stroke volume and weakens the ventricle.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic valve implant with a tubular portion, upstream support portion, and flanges that can be percutaneously delivered to a native heart valve in a compressed state, expandable to secure the implant by sandwiching native valve tissue between the support portion and flanges, ensuring proper valve closure and unidirectional blood flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the valve is compressed for percutaneous delivery, then the implant can be delivered through the catheter, but the valve cannot be immediately secured at the native valve
Solution Approach 1:
The valve frame is divided into an inner frame and an outer frame that can be independently compressed and expanded. The inner frame compresses for delivery while the outer frame remains collapsed, then the outer frame expands separately to secure the valve, enabling both percutaneous delivery and reliable securing.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve frame employs dynamic expansion capability where the outer frame can be selectively expanded after compression. This dynamic transition from compressed (for delivery) to expanded (for securing) state resolves the contradiction between deliverability and securing capability.
2Reliability
If the tubular portion is expanded to secure the implant, then the valve can be fixed at the native valve, but the upstream support portion and flanges move apart reducing securing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into inner and outer frames with independent expansion capabilities. The inner frame expansion secures the valve while the outer frame remains collapsed, preventing the upstream support portion and flanges from moving apart and maintaining securing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner frame acts as an intermediary structure that expands independently to secure the valve, while the outer frame serves as a collapsed protective shell. This intermediary mechanism allows the tubular portion to expand for securing without causing the upstream support portion and flanges to separate.
3Length of moving object
If the outer frame is collapsed for delivery, then the implant profile is reduced, but the valve cannot be properly positioned and secured
Solution Approach 1:
The outer frame transitions dynamically from a collapsed state (for delivery with reduced profile) to an expanded state (for positioning and securing the valve). This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction between reduced implant profile and effective valve positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer frame is pre-compressed for delivery to reduce the implant profile, then selectively expanded at the target site to enable proper valve positioning and securing. This preliminary compression followed by selective expansion resolves the contradiction between profile reduction and positioning capability.
Data Source
AI summary
Prosthetic valves and methods of use of prosthetic valves may be provided. In one implementation, a prosthetic valve may include an annular outer frame formed of struts intersecting at outer frame junctions, an inner frame situated within the outer frame and formed of struts intersecting at inner frame junctions, and a plurality of tissue anchors extending from the outer frame. The junctions along a downstream end of the outer frame may be spaced apart circumferentially from the junctions along a downstream end of the inner frame. The outer frame may include an anchor support strut extending between a downstream junction of the outer frame and a point of connection between one of the tissue anchors and the outer frame. The anchor support strut may be configured for placement parallel to a longitudinal axis of the prosthetic valve.