Split-Type Left Atrial Appendage Clamp for Complete Closure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for managing the left atrial appendage during cardiac surgery, such as suture ligation and cutting staplers, face challenges of incomplete ligation, bleeding, and high surgical risks, particularly due to the anatomical structure of the left atrial appendage.

Innovation Solution

A split-type left atrial appendage closure clip system with a clip head and clip applier, featuring a clamping handle, deflection adjustment sleeve, and transmission members, allowing for minimally invasive closure with improved visibility and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If suture ligation is used to manage the left atrial appendage, then the operation is simple and rapid, but the left atrial appendage may not be completely sealed, requiring increased ligation force that may cut the root and increase surgical risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity and rapidityVSAvoidcomplete sealing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The closure device is divided into multiple components including a delivery catheter, occlusion element, and deployment mechanism. This segmentation allows the device to be delivered through a minimally invasive approach while ensuring complete sealing through controlled deployment of the occlusion element within the left atrial appendage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An occlusion element serves as an intermediary structure that is deployed within the left atrial appendage to create complete sealing. This intermediary device bridges the gap between the simplicity of ligation and the reliability of complete closure, allowing effective sealing without requiring excessive force that could damage the tissue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If resection and suture is used to manage the left atrial appendage, then thorough removal is achieved with low residual cavity rate, but the operation becomes cumbersome with high probability of bleeding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethorough removalVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the complex resection and suture steps by delivering an occlusion element through a minimally invasive catheter-based approach. This extraction eliminates the need for cumbersome surgical resection while achieving thorough removal of the left atrial appendage function through complete sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional mechanical resection and suture system is replaced with a delivered occlusion device that can be deployed through a catheter. This substitution reduces operational complexity while maintaining thorough removal effectiveness, as the occlusion element can be precisely positioned and deployed without extensive surgical manipulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If cutting stapler is used to manage the left atrial appendage, then closure is achieved, but operational difficulties arise and complications are likely to occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclosure achievementVSAvoidoperational difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The occlusion element acts as an intermediary that simplifies the closure process. Instead of requiring complex stapler deployment and tissue manipulation, the occlusion element is delivered through a catheter and deployed within the left atrial appendage, achieving reliable closure with significantly reduced operational difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If increased suture ligation force is applied to reduce incomplete ligation probability, then sealing completeness improves, but the risk of cutting the root and surgical complications increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing completenessVSAvoidsurgical risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The occlusion element serves as an intermediary that achieves complete sealing without requiring excessive force on the tissue. By deploying the occlusion element within the left atrial appendage, complete sealing is achieved through the device's structural design rather than through high ligation force, thereby eliminating the risk of root cutting and surgical complications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of sealing mechanism from force-based ligation to structure-based occlusion. The occlusion element's design parameters (size, shape, material properties) are optimized to achieve complete sealing through its structural characteristics rather than through applied force, thereby reducing surgical risk while maintaining sealing completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4643794A1Split-type left atrial appendage closure clamp system
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 HANGZHOU SUNSTONE TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP4643794A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4643794A1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP4643794A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention discloses a split-type left atrial appendage closure clip system, which includes a clip head and a clip applier. The clip applier includes a fixed handle, a clamping handle, a deflection adjustment sleeve, a clamping transmission member, a deflection transmission member, and a connecting tube. The clamping handle is slidably connected to the fixed handle. The deflection adjustment sleeve is threadedly connected to the fixed handle. The clamping transmission member is connected between the clamping handle and the clip head. The deflection transmission member is connected between the deflection adjustment sleeve and the clip head. The connecting tube is connected between the clip head and the fixed handle. The clamping transmission member and the deflection transmission member are threaded through the connecting tube. A clip head deflection mechanism driven by the deflection transmission member is provided between the clip head and the clip applier. By adopting the present invention, the closure method of the left atrial appendage can be changed from the ligation and suture method to the clip compression closure method, which is convenient and fast to operate, can avoid bleeding, and has complete closure, thus improving the convenience, safety and effectiveness of the left atrial appendage closure device