Self-Expanding Stent Delivery via Core Advancement Wire

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stent delivery systems face challenges in navigating the constrained and tortuous neurovasculature, particularly in tiny vessels like those in the brain, due to radial expansion and buckling issues when pushing or pulling the stent, which can cause unnecessary trauma or rupture.

Innovation Solution

A system that allows the self-expanding stent to be moved within a catheter by dragging or pulling from the distal or proximal portions, using a core advancement wire with radiopaque markers or stop members to engage anchor members, reducing the force needed for distal or proximal movement and minimizing radial expansion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the stent is pushed distally or pulled proximally in the catheter, then the stent can be delivered to the treatment site, but the stent experiences axial compression and radial expansion causing trauma to the blood vessel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestent deliveryVSAvoidvessel trauma
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is divided into multiple segments or struts that can independently flex and conform to the catheter shape, allowing the stent to navigate tortuous vasculature without expanding radially and causing vessel trauma

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stent transitions from a compressed low-profile state during delivery to an expanded state at the treatment site, changing its physical parameters to minimize trauma during delivery and provide reinforcement only when needed at the target location

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the stent is constrained within the catheter, then the stent can be navigated through tortuous vasculature, but the stent cannot provide selective reinforcement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter navigationVSAvoidselective reinforcement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is designed with dynamic properties allowing it to remain flexible and constrained during navigation, then transition to a rigid expanded state at the treatment site to provide selective reinforcement, with the ability to dynamically change its mechanical properties based on location

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The stent is pre-positioned and constrained within the catheter during navigation through tortuous vasculature, then deployed at the predetermined treatment site to provide reinforcement, ensuring navigation ease before achieving the reinforcement function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If force is applied to push or pull the stent, then the stent can be moved within the catheter, but excessive force causes buckling and radial expansion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestent movementVSAvoidstent shape stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is constructed with flexible materials and a thin-profile design that allows it to be pushed or pulled through the catheter with minimal force while maintaining shape stability, preventing buckling and unintended radial expansion during delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The stent design incorporates a low radial profile during delivery that transitions to a full radial expansion at the treatment site, using dimensional transformation to enable easy movement during delivery while maintaining shape stability and providing reinforcement when deployed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3123985B1Delivery system for expandable stents
Publication Date: 2021.02.24 DEPUY SYNTHES PROD INC
  • EP3123985B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3123985B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3123985B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A system for delivering and releasing a self-expanding stent includes a catheter, a tubular self-expanding stent configured to be constrained from expanding when the tubular self-expanding stent is contained within the catheter, and a core advancement wire disposed within and extending through a lumen of the tubular self-expanding stent. One or more stop members on the core advancement wire engage one or more anchor members on the stent when the core advancement wire is translated longitudinally toward the one or more anchor members.