Split Capsule Delivery System for Cardiac Valve Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current minimally invasive procedures for replacing cardiac valves are cumbersome due to issues like catheter breakage and device failure during loading and deployment, and there is a need for improved transcatheter delivery systems that allow for accurate placement of prosthetic valves.
Innovation Solution
A delivery system featuring a split capsule outer sheath with a proximal and distal capsule that can be radially compressed and secured using a removable sleeve, along with an interlocking mechanism between the distal tip and capsule, facilitating accurate deployment and recapture of the prosthetic valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single capsule outer sheath is used to hold the prosthetic valve, then the structure is simpler, but the capsule may bend or break during loading and delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The outer sheath is divided into two separate capsules (proximal and distal) that can independently support themselves during delivery. This segmentation prevents bending and breaking by distributing mechanical stresses across two separate structures rather than one continuous capsule.
2Reliability
If the proximal and distal capsules are kept separate, then the risk of bending is reduced, but the capsules may separate during loading
Solution Approach 1:
The proximal and distal capsules are pre-positioned in an overlapping configuration before loading begins. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the capsules are already aligned and supported in a stable manner, preventing separation during the loading process while maintaining their individual structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery system for delivering a device to a body lumen includes an inner shaft coupled to a distal tip and an outer sheath slidingly disposed over the inner shaft. The outer sheath is configured to hold the device in a radially compressed configuration. The outer sheath includes a proximal capsule and a distal capsule. The delivery system further includes a removable sleeve configured to couple the proximal capsule to the distal capsule during loading of the device into the delivery system. A distal end of the distal capsule is configured to interlock with the distal tip after the device is loaded into the delivery system.