Symmetrical Crimped Valve Stent for Accurate TAVR Positioning

Solution Overview

Problem

Transcatheter valve prostheses face complications such as vessel trauma, inaccurate placement, conduction disturbances, and paravalvular leakage due to improper positioning relative to the native annulus during implantation, which can lead to severe physiological consequences.

Innovation Solution

A transcatheter valve prosthesis with a symmetrical crimped configuration and radiopaque markers that form a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, ensuring accurate depth positioning and reducing the risk of complications by providing clear landmarks for deployment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the prosthesis is positioned too deep relative to the native annulus, then the valve may be securely anchored, but conduction disturbances occur and permanent pacemaker incidence increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure anchoringVSAvoidconduction disturbances

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is pre-configured with a symmetrical crimped configuration and radiopaque markers that form a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis before delivery. This preliminary configuration enables accurate depth positioning during implantation, allowing the operator to precisely control the position of the prosthesis relative to the native annulus, thereby achieving secure anchoring without excessive depth that would cause conduction disturbances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Radiopaque markers are incorporated into the stent structure, which appear under fluoroscopic imaging to indicate the position and orientation of the prosthesis. These markers form a visible plane that helps the operator accurately position the prosthesis at the correct depth relative to the native annulus, preventing both over-implantation (causing conduction disturbances) and under-implantation (causing embolization risk)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the prosthesis is positioned too shallow relative to the native annulus, then conduction disturbances are avoided, but valve embolization risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconduction disturbancesVSAvoidvalve stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is pre-configured with a symmetrical crimped configuration and radiopaque markers that form a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis before delivery. This preliminary configuration enables accurate depth positioning during implantation, allowing the operator to precisely control the position of the prosthesis relative to the native annulus, thereby achieving secure anchoring without excessive depth that would cause conduction disturbances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Radiopaque markers are incorporated into the stent structure, which appear under fluoroscopic imaging to indicate the position and orientation of the prosthesis. These markers form a visible plane that helps the operator accurately position the prosthesis at the correct depth relative to the native annulus, preventing both over-implantation (causing conduction disturbances) and under-implantation (causing embolization risk)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If the stent structure is crimped onto a balloon catheter for delivery, then the prosthesis can be delivered percutaneously, but inaccurate placement may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepercutaneous deliveryVSAvoidplacement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Radiopaque markers are incorporated into the stent structure, which appear under fluoroscopic imaging to indicate the position and orientation of the prosthesis. These markers form a visible plane that helps the operator accurately position the prosthesis at the correct depth relative to the native annulus, preventing both over-implantation (causing conduction disturbances) and under-implantation (causing embolization risk)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The stent is pre-configured with a symmetrical crimped configuration and radiopaque markers that form a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis before delivery. This preliminary configuration enables accurate depth positioning during implantation, allowing the operator to precisely control the position of the prosthesis relative to the native annulus

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12605245B2Balloon expandable stent with symmetrical crimped configuration for transcatheter implantation of a cardiac valve prosthesis

Publication Date: 2026.04.21 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

A transcatheter valve prosthesis includes a stent and a prosthetic valve. The prosthetic valve is configured to substantially block blood flow in one direction to regulate blood flow through a central lumen of the stent. The stent includes an inflow portion, an outflow portion, and a transition portion extending between the inflow portion and the outflow portion. The transition portion includes a plurality of axial frame members extending between the inflow portion and the outflow portion. Each axial frame member extends in an axial direction from a crown of the inflow portion to at least a crown of the outflow portion. Each axial frame member has a first end adjacent to the crown of the inflow portion, the first end having a reduced width relative to a width of a length of the axial frame member between the first end and the crown of the outflow portion.