Robotic Catheter Guide Instrument for Left Atrial Appendage Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a highly controllable, minimally invasive robotic system capable of accurately positioning and deploying occlusive prostheses and closure devices within the left atrial appendage of the heart, such as for minimally invasive medical procedures, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A robotically controlled guide instrument system comprising an elongate flexible guide instrument, a drive assembly, and a master controller, which can maneuver a detachable occlusive prosthesis or closure device into the left atrial appendage, allowing for self-expanding or manually expanded deployment, and includes a closure device with tissue-engaging members to seal the opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a robotic catheter system is used to perform minimally invasive procedures, then patient trauma is minimized and procedural accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic catheter system is divided into distinct modular components: a master controller for operator input, a drive assembly for actuation, an elongate flexible guide instrument for navigation, and detachable delivery members for deploying occlusive prostheses or closure devices. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system precision and minimizing patient trauma through the minimally invasive access pathway.
2Reliability
If an occlusive prosthesis is deployed into the left atrial appendage, then procedural effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for detachable coupling and delivery mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The occlusive prosthesis is detachably coupled to the delivery member, allowing it to be extracted or released at the target site within the left atrial appendage. This extraction principle enables the prosthesis to be deployed from the minimally invasive access pathway once positioned correctly, ensuring procedural effectiveness while the delivery mechanism remains relatively simple and controllable.
3Reliability
If a closure device with tissue-engaging members is used to seal the left atrial appendage opening, then procedural effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The closure device includes tissue-engaging members that automatically engage with the tissue surrounding the left atrial appendage opening upon deployment. This self-service mechanism allows the device to secure itself without requiring additional manual manipulation or complex actuation sequences, improving ease of operation while maintaining reliable closure effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A robotically controlled guide instrument system, comprising an elongate flexible guide instrument; a drive assembly coupled to a proximal portion of the guide instrument and configured to maneuver a distal portion of the guide instrument; a master controller including a user interface that may be manipulated to actuate the drive assembly and thereby maneuver the distal portion the guide instrument; and a closure device detachably coupled to a delivery member carried by the guide instrument, the guide instrument maneuverable to position the closure device proximate an opening of a left atrial appendage of a person's heart such that the prosthesis may be detached from the delivery member and implanted to substantially close off the left atrial appendage.