Textile Thrombectomy Structure for Gentle Clot Removal in Tortuous Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thrombectomy devices are not gentle on fragile blood vessels and lack flexibility for use in tortuous vessels, often requiring multiple devices for clot removal and relying on embolic protection or balloon inflation, which can impede blood flow.
Innovation Solution
A textile structure-based thrombectomy device with self-expanding bulbs and a hypotube featuring varying slit patterns and shape sets for distal flexibility, allowing torsional rasping and selective filtering, which can be deployed through a microcatheter without embolic protection or reversing blood flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser cut hypotube struts are used for mechanical thrombectomy, then clot removal capability is improved, but vessel wall damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible textile structure composed of interwoven filaments that can conform to and gently engage with the vessel wall, replacing rigid laser-cut struts. This flexible braid configuration allows the device to capture thrombus through soft mechanical interaction rather than rigid strut engagement, thereby improving clot removal capability while minimizing vessel wall damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes a composite construction combining a flexible textile braid with a supportive hypotube core. The textile structure provides gentle vessel interaction while the hypotube delivers mechanical strength and pushability. This composite approach enables effective thrombus engagement without the need for aggressive laser-cut struts, resolving the contradiction between clot removal efficacy and vessel wall protection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single device is used to remove blood clots across different vessel diameters, then device versatility is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a dynamic braid structure with variable braid pitch along its length, allowing the device to adapt its geometry to different vessel diameters. The hypotube features varying slit patterns that enable controlled expansion and contraction, permitting a single device to navigate and effectively treat vessels of varying sizes without requiring multiple specialized devices, while maintaining manageable structural complexity through progressive geometric changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs parameter variations along its length, including changing braid density, filament spacing, and hypotube slit configurations. These gradual parameter changes enable the single device to accommodate different vessel diameters and anatomical conditions, achieving versatility without requiring completely different device designs for each scenario.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device is made flexible for use in tortuous vessels, then navigability is improved, but structural support decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested configuration where the flexible textile braid is positioned within and supported by the hypotube structure. The hypotube serves as an inner core providing mechanical strength and pushability, while the textile braid嵌套 within it provides flexibility and conformability. This nested arrangement allows the device to navigate tortuous vessels while maintaining sufficient structural support for effective thrombus engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile braid functions as a flexible shell that can conform to tortuous vessel paths, while the hypotube provides the necessary structural backbone. This combination enables the device to achieve both navigability in complex anatomy and structural support for mechanical thrombectomy functions.
4Reliability
If embolic protection or balloon inflation is used, then distal emboli capture is improved, but blood flow is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous textile braid structure with controlled interfilament spacing that allows blood flow to pass through while capturing embolic particles and thrombus material. The porous configuration provides filtration capability without requiring complete occlusion of the vessel lumen, thereby achieving distal emboli protection while maintaining blood flow and avoiding the need for balloon inflation.
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 device effectively captures and removes thrombi without damaging blood vessels, offering flexibility for use in varying vessel diameters and tortuous paths, and can be used to filter distal emboli without impeding blood flow.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of wires comprises shape-memory wires
Implementation Method 2
a pump configured to generate a plurality of suction patterns, wherein each of the plurality of suction patterns comprises a plurality of different intensity levels
Data Source
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Figure 1C
AI summary
Vascular treatment devices and methods include a woven structure including a plurality of bulbs that may be self-expanding, a hypotube, for example including interspersed patterns of longitudinally spaced rows of kerfs, and a bonding zone between the woven structure and the hypotube. The woven structure may include patterns of radiopaque filaments measureable under x-ray. Structures may be heat treated to include various shapes at different temperatures. The woven structure may be deployable to implant in a vessel. A catheter may include a hypotube including interspersed patterns of longitudinally spaced rows of kerfs and optionally a balloon. Laser cutting systems may include fluid flow systems. A system for aspirating material from a vessel or cavity is also provided whereby an aspiration pump can generate a plurality of suction patterns.