Thrombus Treatment Device with Filter and Tethers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating thrombi, such as pharmacological thrombolysis and traditional thrombectomy devices, face limitations including time constraints, risk of damaging blood vessel walls, and generation of emboli that can lead to life-threatening conditions like pulmonary embolism.
Innovation Solution
A thrombus treatment device comprising a support wire, a body frame portion, a tether portion, and a filter portion, designed to expand radially and embed within a thrombus, creating a flow channel while capturing thrombotic fragments and potentially delivering thrombolytic agents, thereby reducing thrombi and preventing emboli release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional thrombectomy devices are used to mechanically remove thrombi, then thrombus removal efficiency is improved, but damage to blood vessel walls and generation of emboli increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a filter portion as an intermediary component between the thrombus and the bloodstream. This filter captures thrombotic fragments and emboli during the thrombectomy procedure, allowing mechanical thrombus removal while preventing harmful fragments from entering the circulation. The filter acts as a mediator that separates the beneficial thrombus removal function from the harmful emboli generation side effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs a flexible filter portion that can conform to the thrombus structure while maintaining its filtering function. This flexible thin film structure allows the device to mechanically engage with and remove thrombi efficiently while the filter captures any fragmented material, preventing vessel wall damage and emboli formation.
2Reliability
If pharmacological thrombolysis is used to dissolve thrombi, then thrombus dissolution is achieved, but treatment time window is limited and success rate is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thrombus treatment process into distinct mechanical and pharmacological components. The mechanical thrombectomy device can immediately remove the bulk of the thrombus, while pharmacological agents can be delivered through the device to dissolve remaining fragments. This segmentation allows the treatment to be more reliable and less time-constrained than pure pharmacological approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs preliminary mechanical thrombus removal before pharmacological dissolution is complete. By mechanically extracting the thrombus while it is still partially intact, the device achieves immediate results without waiting for the full pharmacological dissolution process, thereby extending the effective treatment time window and improving success rates.
3Productivity
If mechanical thrombectomy devices are used to physically entangle and remove thrombi, then thrombus removal capability is improved, but risk of generating emboli that can lodge in vital organs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter portion serves as an intermediary between the mechanical thrombus entanglement process and the bloodstream. It captures thrombotic fragments generated during the mechanical removal process, preventing them from becoming emboli that could lodge in vital organs. This allows aggressive mechanical thrombus removal while mitigating the harmful side effect of fragment generation.
Data Source
AI summary
A thrombus treatment device includes a support wire, a body frame portion that is disposed about an axis defined by the support wire, one or more tethers that each have a first end and a second end, and a filter element extending from the body frame portion. Each of the one or more tethers is attached at its first end to the body frame portion, and at its second end to a collar that couples the second end of each of the multiple tethers to the support wire. When the collar is positioned substantially within a region interior of the body frame portion, a rotational actuation of the support wire causes a swiveling motion of the one or more tethers.