Intracorporeal Sensor Fixation Using Compliant Vascular Anchors
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of securely implanting intracorporeal devices, such as sensors, in blood vessels like the pulmonary artery without obstructing blood flow or causing vessel damage, particularly due to the vessel's thin and compliant nature, has not been adequately addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A delivery system with a delivery shaft and sheath, featuring a distal and proximal coupling mechanism, allows for the secure deployment of intracorporeal devices using anchoring structures like wire loops, radial arrays, or daisy petal shapes that minimize vessel obstruction and ensure fixation through interference fit or lodging at vessel furcations, while maintaining blood flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixation device is deployed in the pulmonary artery to secure the sensor, then the sensor fixation reliability is improved, but the vessel wall damage risk increases due to the vessel's thin and compliant nature
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device employs a compliant polymer material that can deform to match the thin pulmonary artery wall contour, distributing mechanical stress over a larger area rather than concentrating it at single contact points. This flexible design allows the device to secure the sensor reliably while minimizing localized vessel wall damage risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixation device is divided into multiple discrete anchoring elements distributed along its length, rather than relying on a single large fixation point. This segmentation allows the device to engage with the vessel wall at multiple locations, improving overall fixation reliability while reducing the stress concentration at any single point.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the fixation device contacts the vessel wall to maintain position, then the sensor positioning stability is improved, but the blood flow obstruction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device features localized contact points that are strategically positioned to engage with the vessel wall without interfering with the main blood flow path. The anchoring elements make contact only at specific locations where they provide maximum stabilization while leaving the central flow channel clear, thus maintaining stable positioning without significant blood flow obstruction.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the device size is reduced to minimize vessel obstruction, then the blood flow disruption is reduced, but the fixation strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation device utilizes composite construction combining a compliant polymer matrix with reinforced anchoring elements. This composite design allows the overall device to maintain a small cross-sectional area that minimizes blood flow disruption, while the reinforced anchoring points provide sufficient fixation strength to securely hold the sensor in place.
4Manufacturing precision
If a delivery system with coupling mechanism is used to deploy the intracorporeal device, then the deployment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system employs a nested configuration where the intracorporeal device is housed within the delivery shaft, and the coupling mechanism is integrated into the distal end of the shaft. This nested design allows for precise positioning and controlled deployment of the sensor while keeping the overall system compact and reducing unnecessary complexity.
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 system effectively secures intracorporeal devices in vessels with minimal flow disruption, ensuring stable positioning and orientation, and allows for easy deployment and retrieval without causing vessel damage.
Implementation Method 1
The distal coupling feature is releasably coupled to the proximal coupling feature such that, when coupled, the distal coupling feature is disposed within the axial envelope defined by the device body
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery system for an intracorporeal device includes a sheath defining one or more lumens shaped to receive a delivery catheter or shaft and a guidewire. The system may include a delivery shaft having a distal coupling feature adapted to releasably couple with a proximal coupling feature of the intracorporeal device. The delivery system may further include a hub through which the delivery shaft and guidewire are passed. The delivery shaft may be coupled to a feature, such as a knob, that enables manipulation of the delivery shaft to decouple the distal fixation feature from the proximal fixation feature of the intracorporeal device in order to deploy the intracorporeal device within a patient.