Tissue Anchor Retaining Member Dynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tissue anchor handling systems lack efficient designs for easy accessibility and usability of tissue anchors during medical procedures, leading to challenges in handling and deployment.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an anchor-handling device with a housing that defines a channel and storage area, equipped with a retaining member that retains the tissue anchor until a sufficient force is applied, and a wearable article that temporarily affixes the device to a physician's body for convenient handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a retaining member is used to secure the tissue anchor in the storage area, then the anchor is prevented from inadvertent exit, but the anchor becomes harder to retrieve when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining member transitions from a static blocking position to a dynamic movable position when force is applied. The member is designed to move in response to sufficient force applied to the anchor, allowing it to automatically switch between retaining and releasing states based on operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the force parameter applied to the anchor. When the applied force exceeds a threshold value, the retaining member moves from its blocking position to allow anchor retrieval. This parameter-based control enables reliable retention under normal conditions while allowing easy retrieval when sufficient force is applied.
2Ease of operation
If the anchor-handling device is made portable and wearable, then accessibility during procedures is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder and coupling components are merged into a single integrated wearable assembly. The coupling mechanism is built directly into the holder structure, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall system complexity despite the wearable design.
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable holder serves multiple functions: it stores the anchor-handling device, provides a reversible coupling mechanism, and acts as a wearable carrier that can be attached to the physician's body. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.
3Reliability
If the anchor is retained securely until deployment, then safety is improved, but the time to retrieve and deploy the anchor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining member is pre-positioned to block the anchor's exit path during storage. When deployment is needed, the member moves to a second position that opens the path. This preliminary positioning ensures secure retention while enabling rapid deployment when force is applied.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining member dynamically transitions between two positions: a first position that blocks anchor exit for secure retention, and a second position that opens the exit path for rapid deployment. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction between secure retention and quick retrieval.
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor driver is transluminally advanceable to a heart of a subject, and comprises (a) a shaft; (b) a head, coupled to the shaft at a distal part of the anchor driver, and configured to engage a tissue anchor; and (c) a stiffening element that, while the head remains engaged with the tissue anchor, is repositionable from outside of the subject in a manner that transitions the anchor driver between (i) a first state, and (ii) a second state in which the distal part of the anchor driver is stiffer than in the first state. Other embodiments are also disclosed.