Stent With Eased Corner Feature for Polymer Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polymer stents face challenges in delivering through anatomical lumens due to their larger profile and flexibility, which can lead to mechanical strength issues and catching on calcium deposits, necessitating a balance between profile size and radial strength.
Innovation Solution
The development of an implantable stent with eased corner features on specific rings, formed using a polymer substrate material, to facilitate easier movement through anatomical lumens while maintaining radial strength, achieved by creating bevel-type or round-type eased corner features at radially outward corners of the stent rings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If polymer stent struts are made thicker to maintain mechanical strength, then radial strength is improved, but the stent scaffold profile increases making delivery more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different corner configurations to different locations of the stent struts. Sharp corners are maintained at the radially inward facing corners to maximize radial strength and structural integrity. Eased corners are applied only at the radially outward facing corners to reduce the profile and prevent catching on calcium deposits. This localized differentiation allows the stent to have both high radial strength and low delivery profile simultaneously.
2Length of moving object
If polymer stent struts are made thinner to reduce profile size, then ease of delivery is improved, but mechanical strength decreases increasing risk of catching on calcium deposits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent strategically places eased corners only at the radially outward facing corners of the struts, while maintaining sharp corners at the radially inward facing corners. This localized approach allows the outer profile to be smoother and more compliant for delivery, while the inner sharp corners preserve the structural strength needed to resist calcium deposits during deployment.
3Ease of operation
If eased corner features are added to all corners of the stent, then ease of movement through anatomical lumen is improved, but radial strength is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selectively applies eased corner features only to the radially outward facing corners of the stent struts, while maintaining sharp corners at the radially inward facing corners. This localized differentiation ensures that the outward corners provide smooth movement through the anatomical lumen, while the inward corners maintain the structural integrity and radial strength necessary to prevent catching on calcium deposits.
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable stent includes a plurality of rings. At least a distal end ring has an eased corner feature formed in the polymer substrate at a radially outward, distal-facing corner of the ring while relatively sharp corners of the polymer substrate are maintained in radially inward corners of the ring.