Tissue Anchor Delivery Tool for Mitral Valve Chordae Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for repairing atrioventricular valves, particularly mitral valves, face challenges in effectively adjusting and securing artificial chordae tendineae to correct mitral regurgitation, often requiring multiple surgical steps and potentially damaging cardiac tissue.
Innovation Solution
A delivery tool that reversibly couples to a rotatable adjusting mechanism, allowing for the implantation of a tissue anchor without rotating the adjusting mechanism, and subsequent rotation of the mechanism to adjust the tension of artificial chordae tendineae, using a combination of threaded structures and ergonomic knobs to control the implantation and rotation processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a delivery tool is used to implant both the tissue anchor and adjusting mechanism in a single advancement, then surgical efficiency is improved and tissue damage is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for multiple actuating elements
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery tool combines multiple functions into a single device: it delivers both the tissue anchor and adjusting mechanism in one advancement, and provides separate actuating elements for rotating the tissue anchor and the adjusting mechanism. This merging of functions improves surgical efficiency by eliminating multiple surgical steps while managing complexity through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery tool is segmented into distinct actuating elements: a first actuating element for rotating the tissue anchor and a second actuating element for rotating the adjusting mechanism. This segmentation allows independent control of each rotation function, enabling precise implantation and adjustment while maintaining manageable complexity through modular operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate actuating elements are provided for rotating the tissue anchor and adjusting mechanism, then precise control is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the increased number of controls
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery tool provides separate actuating elements for rotating the tissue anchor and the adjusting mechanism, allowing precise independent control of each component. This segmentation enables the operator to control each rotation function separately, achieving precise placement and tension adjustment despite the increased number of controls.
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
Enables precise adjustment and implantation of artificial chordae tendineae, facilitating effective repair of atrioventricular valves by allowing for both screwing of the tissue anchor and rotation of the adjusting mechanism in a single advancement, reducing tissue damage and improving surgical efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a threaded structure configured to convert rotation of the second actuating element into rotation of the adjusting mechanism
Implementation Method 2
A delivery tool that reversibly couples to a rotatable adjusting mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus is provided, including an implant including a tissue-adjusting member including a longitudinal member, and a tissue anchor coupled to the tissue-adjusting member and configured to be anchored into the tissue of the patient. A tissue-coupling element is coupled to the longitudinal member. A delivery tool is reversibly couplable to the implant and is configured to deliver the implant to the tissue of the patient. The delivery tool includes an elongate shaft, a tissue-coupling-element holder coupled to a portion of the elongate shaft, the tissue-coupling-element holder being configured to hold the tissue-coupling element during delivery of the implant to the tissue of the patient, and an actuating element configured to rotate the tissue anchor so as to facilitate anchoring of the tissue anchor into the tissue of the patient while not rotating the tissue-coupling-element holder with respect to the shaft.