Tapered Textile Thrombectomy Device for Vessel Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mechanical thrombectomy devices are not gentle on fragile blood vessels, cannot be customized to the length of blood clots, lack visibility under X-ray fluoroscopy, and are prone to fracture due to incompatible materials, limiting their effectiveness in removing clots across varying vessel diameters and lengths.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical thrombectomy device with a tapered textile structure that is adaptable to different vessel diameters, featuring a flexible delivery system with bonding zones between dissimilar metals or alloys, allowing for torsional rasping and filtering of emboli, and designed for use with microcatheters to ensure safe deployment and retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If an expansile laser-cut stent based mechanical thrombectomy device is used, then clot removal capability is provided, but the device is not gentle on fragile blood vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a tapered structure where the distal end has a smaller diameter to navigate tortuous vessels and reach the clot, while the proximal end has a larger diameter to provide structural support and accommodate the clot. This gradient in dimensions allows the device to be gentle on vessels while maintaining adaptability to different vessel diameters along its length.
Solution Approach 2:
The thrombectomy device features an asymmetric tapered geometry with a narrower distal tip and a wider proximal body. This asymmetric design enables the device to conform to the natural tapering of blood vessels, providing gentle engagement with vessel walls while maintaining the ability to adapt to varying diameters from the distal to proximal regions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single device is used to remove blood clots, then device simplicity is maintained, but the device cannot be customized to the length of the clot or clot burden
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a telescoping or expandable structure that allows the operator to adjust the deployed length of the thrombectomy device to match the length of the clot. The device can be extended or compressed along its longitudinal axis, providing customizable engagement length while maintaining a compact storage profile for simple delivery.
3Ease of manufacture
If the device structure is simplified, then manufacturing is easier, but the device lacks visibility under X-ray fluoroscopy
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates radio-opaque materials such as tungsten, platinum, or barium sulfate within the textile structure or as coating layers. These materials appear radiopaque under X-ray fluoroscopy, providing clear visibility of the device position and morphology without requiring complex structural modifications. The radio-opaque elements can be integrated into the simplified textile architecture, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving optimal imaging contrast.
4Strength
If standard bonding methods are used between dissimilar metals or alloys, then bonding strength is insufficient, but alternative bonding processes increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs intermediate bonding layers or transition zones between dissimilar metals or alloys. These intermediate layers serve as mediators that are compatible with both adjacent materials, enabling strong bonding through diffusion or metallurgical bonding. The intermediate layer acts as a gradient transition that reduces thermal expansion mismatches and mechanical property discontinuities, achieving strong bonds without requiring complex multi-step bonding processes.
5Ease of operation
If the delivery system is made more flexible, then navigation through tortuous vessels is improved, but proximal support is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is divided into multiple segments or zones with different mechanical properties. The distal portion incorporates flexible materials and loose braiding to enable navigation through tortuous vessels, while the proximal portion uses stiffer materials and tighter construction to provide adequate support. The transition between segments creates a gradient in flexibility, allowing the system to simultaneously achieve distal flexibility and proximal support without requiring a single complex design.
Data Source
AI summary
A biomedical shape-set textile structure based mechanical thrombectomy systems and methods are described. In one of the embodiments, the mechanical thrombectomy device can be customized to the length of the clot in each patient. In one of the embodiments, the mechanical thrombectomy device because of the textile structure has a very low overall profile or thickness that is less than 0.0125 inches (0.317 mm) and therefore can be deployed within microcatheters with inner lumen diameter as small as 0.014 inches (0.355 mm).