Compressible Self-Expandable Stent With Distal Eyelets

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stents for splinting and keeping open cavities, organ pathways, and vessels in the human or animal body often cause discomfort and kinking issues, leading to reduced tolerance and acceptance, especially in the pharynx and nasal passages, due to conical expansion and kinking during insertion and use.

Innovation Solution

A compressible and self-expanding stent with a braid design featuring eyelets at the distal end to prevent conical expansion and kinking, allowing for cylindrical expansion and reduced pressure on mucous membranes, along with a decoupling region in the transition section to prevent collapse and ensure even radial force distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the stent is designed with conventional distal end structure, then the stent can be inserted into the body, but the distal end undergoes conical expansion and kinking causing discomfort and reduced patient tolerance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient toleranceVSAvoiddistal end expansion shape

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing eyelets specifically at the distal end of the stent while maintaining a different structure in other sections. These eyelets create localized structural characteristics that prevent conical expansion and kinking at the distal end, thereby improving patient tolerance without affecting the overall stent functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The eyelets at the distal end are designed with curved, rounded structures that guide the expansion in a controlled manner. This curvature prevents the sharp conical expansion and kinking that occurs in conventional straight-edged distal ends, resulting in a more gradual and comfortable expansion profile for the patient

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the stent wires are twisted in the transition phase to provide radial flexibility, then the transition area gains flexibility, but the distal end still experiences uncontrolled force transfer and kinking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradial flexibilityVSAvoidforce distribution control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is divided into distinct functional sections: a transition phase with twisted wires for radial flexibility, and a distal end with eyelets for stable force distribution. This segmentation allows each section to perform its specific function independently - the twisted transition phase provides flexibility while the eyeleted distal end prevents uncontrolled force transfer and kinking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If the stent is made with a mesh structure of intersecting wires, then the stent provides structural support, but the conventional design causes conical expansion and kinking at the distal end

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidkinking and conical expansion

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh structure is maintained throughout most of the stent for structural support, but the distal end is modified with eyelets to create a localized structural variation. This local modification prevents conical expansion and kinking at the distal end while preserving the overall structural integrity and support function of the mesh body

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 stent design enhances patient comfort and tolerance by minimizing irritation and kinking, maintaining effective functionality while ensuring even pressure distribution and preventing uncontrolled force transfer, thus improving the insertion and acceptance of the stent.

Implementation Method 1

The stent is designed in three phases. A distal phase of the stent forms the functional part of the apnea stent. This section of the stent does not actively create an opening, but rather, when soft tissue is drawn in by negative pressure during apneas and hypopneas, the stent prevents airway closure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3116453B1Compressible self-expandable stent for splinting and/or keeping open a cavity, an organ duct, and/or a vessel in the human or animal body

Publication Date: 2022.05.11 DLAIKAN CAMPOS NASIB

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AI summary

The invention relates to a compressible, self-expandable stent for splinting and/or keeping open a cavity, an organ duct, and/or a vessel in the human or animal body. The stent is configured in a tubular fashion and has a mesh of at least one wire (14). At a distal end of the stent, a portion each of the wire is bent into a loop (7), wherein the portion of the wire is wrapped around to form a twist (8) by means of which the loop is closed. The stent has a distal portion, a proximal portion and a transition portion between them, the distal portion being flared to a larger extent than the proximal portion, and the portions comprising a mesh, the region of the proximal portion adjacent to the transition portion in the proximal direction having a decoupling region in which at least two portions each of the at least one wire or of the wires are twisted with each other.