Self-Expanding Thrombectomy Structure for Tortuous Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thrombectomy devices are often harsh on blood vessels and lack the flexibility to navigate tortuous vessels, making them ineffective for removing thrombi across varying vessel diameters.
Innovation Solution
A textile structure-based mechanical thrombectomy device with self-expanding bulbs and a hypotube, featuring a bonding zone and patterns of radiopaque filaments for enhanced visibility and filtering capabilities, allowing for torsional rasping to capture and retrieve thrombi.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thrombectomy devices are used, then thrombus removal capability is achieved, but vessel wall damage increases and flexibility to navigate tortuous vessels decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a laser-cut hypotube with a pattern of longitudinal kerfs that creates a flexible, self-expanding structure. This flexible shell can navigate tortuous vessels while gently contacting the vessel wall, reducing damage compared to rigid conventional devices. The kerf pattern allows the tube to expand and conform to vessel geometry without excessive force.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes shape memory alloy (Nitinol) that changes its physical state from compressed to expanded form upon deployment. This parameter change allows the device to transition from a low-profile delivery state to an active thrombus-capturing state, enabling effective thrombectomy while maintaining vessel compatibility throughout the procedure.
2Reliability
If conventional thrombectomy devices are used, then thrombus removal is achieved, but adaptability to varying vessel diameters deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hypotube is segmented through a pattern of longitudinal kerfs that create multiple flexible struts. These segments can independently expand and conform to different vessel diameters, allowing the device to adapt to varying vessel sizes while maintaining structural integrity for effective thrombus removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates varying kerf patterns at different locations along the hypotube, with proximal and distal sections having different expansion characteristics. This local quality variation enables the device to adapt to changing vessel diameters along its length, providing versatility across different anatomical locations.
3Reliability
If additional embolic protection devices are added, then embolic protection capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates embolic protection functionality directly into the thrombectomy device by incorporating a distal filter structure at the tip of the hypotube. This merging of thrombus removal and embolic protection into a single integrated device eliminates the need for separate protection devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The hypotube structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, enables thrombus capture through its expandable geometry, offers embolic protection via the distal filter, and facilitates vessel navigation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional specialized components.
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 device is gentle on blood vessels, flexible for use in tortuous vessels, and capable of capturing thrombi across different vessel diameters, providing effective and efficient thrombectomy without the need for additional embolic protection or reversal of blood flow.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of wires comprises shape-memory wires
Data Source
AI summary
Vascular treatment devices and methods include a woven structure including a plurality of bulbs that may be self-expanding, a hypotube, for example including interspersed patterns of longitudinally spaced rows of kerfs, and a bonding zone between the woven structure and the hypotube. The woven structure may include patterns of radiopaque filaments measureable under x-ray. Structures may be heat treated to include various shapes at different temperatures. The woven structure may be deployable to implant in a vessel. A catheter may include a hypotube including interspersed patterns of longitudinally spaced rows of kerfs and optionally a balloon. Laser cutting systems may include fluid flow systems.