Segmented Expandable Catheter for Vessel Rupture Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing catheters for sealing blood vessel perforations or artery ruptures often block or limit blood flow, requiring prolonged and labor-intensive inflation and deflation procedures, and may cause irritation or stenosis when using permanent implants.

Innovation Solution

A catheter with a segmented expandable body and a cover that can be partially or fully deployed to seal vessel ruptures without significantly limiting blood flow, allowing for temporary implantation and easy retrieval, thus avoiding long-term complications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a standard PTA expandable body catheter is used for sealing purposes, then the blood flow is blocked or limited during covering of the dissection or perforation, but the perforation can be sealed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidblood flow

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable body is divided into multiple radially expandable segments arranged around a circumference. These segments can expand independently to seal the perforation while maintaining gaps between them that allow blood flow to pass through, thus achieving both sealing effectiveness and maintained blood flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the expandable body have different properties - the segments provide localized sealing at specific points where needed, while the spaces between segments maintain openness for blood flow. The cover is also selectively deployed to cover only the necessary portions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If repeated and prolonged inflation and deflation of the expandable body is performed, then the perforation can be closed, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperforation closureVSAvoidprocedure time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The segmented design allows the expandable body to be inflated to a larger overall diameter more quickly, as the segments can expand simultaneously rather than requiring gradual incremental inflation. This reduces the number of inflation/deflation cycles needed and shortens procedure time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cover is pre-positioned on the expandable body before inflation, so that when the expandable body is inflated, the cover is automatically deployed to the correct location. This eliminates the need for manual positioning during the procedure and reduces time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If permanent implants are used, then the vessel rupture can be sealed, but irritation/inflammation of the vessel wall and/or stenosis occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverupture sealingVSAvoidvessel wall irritation and stenosis

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter system is designed to be temporary rather than permanent. The expandable body can be inflated to seal the rupture, maintain the seal for a necessary period, and then deflated and removed. This dynamic approach avoids the long-term harmful effects of permanent implants while still providing reliable rupture sealing when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a temporary, disposable expandable body with a cover that can be removed after serving its purpose. This short-living implant provides the necessary sealing function without causing the chronic irritation and stenosis associated with permanent implants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Reliability

If the expandable body is inflated to seal the perforation, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the blood flow is blocked or limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidblood flow

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The expandable body consists of multiple radially expandable segments that create a segmented seal around the perforation. This segmentation allows the seal to be effective at blocking the rupture while maintaining gaps between segments that permit blood flow to continue through the vessel

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves from a two-dimensional planar seal to a three-dimensional segmented structure. The segments expand radially to create volume and spacing, allowing blood to flow through the spaces between segments while still providing effective sealing at the contact points with the vessel wall

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4541408A1Catheter comprising a segmented expandable body and an expandable cover

Publication Date: 2025.04.23 BIOTRONIK AG

Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

The present invention relates to a catheter 1 comprising an expandable body 2 and a cover 3 for at least partially covering the expandable body 2, wherein the expandable body is attached to at least one catheter shaft 4 and wherein the expandable body 2 comprises at least two radially expandable segments 21, 22 and wherein the cover 3 is at least partially connected to the expandable body 2 and/or the at least one catheter shaft 4.