Stent Apex Design for Low-Profile Delivery and Reduced Vessel Trauma
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stents with acute or pointed apices can be invasive and cause damage to graft materials or vessel walls, while those with rounded apices have limited compression capabilities, making them unsuitable for smaller vessels.
Innovation Solution
A stent design featuring straight and curved portions with a reduced cross-sectional area in the curved region, allowing for a low-profile delivery configuration and reduced invasiveness in the expanded state, while maintaining the ability to compress effectively for smaller vessel access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the stent apices are made acute or pointed to facilitate compression to a small delivery profile, then the delivery profile is reduced, but the stent becomes invasive and may abrade graft material or damage vessel wall
Solution Approach 1:
The stent features localized quality changes at the apex regions, where the cross-sectional area is reduced to enable compression, while the main body maintains its structural integrity. This local modification allows the apex to be compressed to a small delivery profile without making the entire stent invasive throughout its length.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire stent invasive to ensure engagement, the invention inverts the approach by creating a non-invasive main body with localized compression zones at the apex. The apex is designed to compress to a small profile for delivery, while the engagement portions maintain a larger, less invasive cross-section.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the stent apices are made rounded to reduce invasiveness, then the stent becomes less invasive to graft material and vessel wall, but the compression capability is limited and the delivery profile cannot be reduced sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The stent has rounded, non-invasive apices in the main body to minimize damage to graft material and vessel wall. However, localized regions at the apex are designed with reduced cross-sectional area that can compress to a small delivery profile, allowing the stent to achieve both low invasiveness and compact delivery characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the stent is designed for small vessel delivery requiring low profile compression, then the stent can be delivered to smaller vessels, but the engagement portions may become too invasive to safely engage graft material or vessel wall
Solution Approach 1:
The stent features differentiated local properties: the apex regions are designed with reduced cross-sectional area for compression to small delivery profiles, enabling access to smaller vessels. Meanwhile, the engagement portions (where the stent contacts graft material or vessel wall) maintain larger cross-sectional areas with rounded geometries that are non-invasive, ensuring safe engagement without causing damage.
Data Source
AI summary
The present examples provide a stent for use in a medical procedure that comprises at least one apex having first and second generally straight portions and a curved portion disposed between the first and second straight portions. The curved portion may comprise at least one region having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first and second straight portions, which may facilitate compression of the stent and insertion of the stent into smaller vessels. The stent may be used alone, or in conjunction with a stent-graft, and may comprise one or more barbs configured to engage an inner wall of a vessel or duct.