Reverse Flow Ophthalmic Artery Therapy Embolic Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical procedures for treating occluded or stenosed vasculature often result in fragmented plaque or emboli traveling downstream, potentially causing embolic events like stroke, due to the dilation and fragmentation of blockages during procedures like angioplasty or atherectomy.

Innovation Solution

A medical system and method that involves impeding antegrade blood flow in the internal carotid artery and establishing reverse blood flow to deliver pharmaceutical agents through the external carotid artery into the ophthalmic artery, using a catheter with an inflatable balloon to occlude the internal carotid artery and a separate catheter to administer therapeutic agents, thereby treating blockages while preventing embolic material from reaching the brain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If angioplasty or atherectomy is performed to open and widen constricted or occluded vasculature, then blood flow is restored, but fragmented plaque or emboli travel downstream and potentially cause stroke or embolic events

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood flow restorationVSAvoidembolic events

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies reverse flow technique where blood flow is temporarily reversed through the occluded vessel by establishing an alternative blood flow pathway. This allows fragmented plaque and emboli to be carried back toward the heart rather than downstream toward the brain, fundamentally inverting the direction of harmful material transport while maintaining blood flow restoration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an alternative blood flow pathway (through collateral vessels or external carotid artery) as an intermediary route. This intermediary pathway serves as a temporary channel to redirect blood flow and carry fragmented material away from the brain, mediating between the occluded vessel and the systemic circulation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If pharmaceutical agents are delivered through the internal carotid artery to treat blockages in the ophthalmic artery, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but embolic material may be carried to the brain causing stroke

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic deliveryVSAvoidstroke risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reverses the conventional delivery approach by using reverse flow to send pharmaceutical agents back toward the heart through the ophthalmic artery, rather than forward toward the brain. This inversion ensures that therapeutic agents reach the blockage site while fragmented material is simultaneously carried away from the brain

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the harmful function of antegrade flow (which carries emboli to the brain) and replaces it with retrograde flow. By taking out the conventional delivery pathway and replacing it with an alternative route, the system achieves therapeutic delivery without the harmful side effect of embolic stroke

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the internal carotid artery is occluded to establish reverse flow, then embolic material is prevented from reaching the brain, but blood flow to the ophthalmic artery is impeded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveembolic protectionVSAvoidophthalmic artery perfusion

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes a multi-functional system where the alternative blood flow pathway serves multiple purposes: it provides embolic protection by carrying fragmented material away from the brain, maintains ophthalmic artery perfusion by delivering blood through the external carotid artery, and enables pharmaceutical delivery. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between protection and perfusion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This approach effectively treats blockages in the ophthalmic artery while preventing embolic events by ensuring that fragmented material is carried downstream and filtered out, reducing the risk of stroke or blindness.

Implementation Method 1

using a catheter with an inflatable balloon to occlude the internal carotid artery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBalloon occlusion:

Implementation Method 2

establishing reverse blood flow to deliver pharmaceutical agents through the external carotid artery into the ophthalmic artery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReverse blood flow:

Data Source

PatentUS11478249B2Ophthalmic artery therapy under reverse flow

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 J D FRANCO & CO LLC

AI summary

A method may include positioning a first device within an internal carotid artery of a subject and impeding antegrade blood flow in the internal carotid artery. Additionally, the method may include delivering a pharmaceutical agent through an external carotid artery for passage into an ophthalmic artery of the subject.