Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Anchoring to Reduce Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement has received less attention and progress compared to mitral valve replacement, despite similarities and important anatomical differences, necessitating a specifically designed prosthetic tricuspid valve for minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic heart valve with a stent, valve assembly, flange, and anchor arms is designed for transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement, featuring a self-expanding stent, braided flange, and stabilization features like anchor arms and barbs to secure the valve in the native tricuspid valve annulus, reducing migration and paravalvular leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a collapsible prosthetic valve is delivered via catheter for minimally invasive procedure, then patient trauma is reduced, but the valve structure becomes more complex requiring stent and delivery apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthetic valve is divided into distinct functional components: a collapsible valve body containing the actual valve mechanism, a self-expanding stent providing structural support, and anchor arms for securing. This segmentation allows the valve to be delivered in a compressed state while maintaining functional integrity upon deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is nested within a delivery catheter in a collapsed state for minimally invasive delivery. Upon reaching the implantation site, the valve is deployed and the delivery catheter is withdrawn, allowing the valve to expand to its functional configuration
2Stability of the object's composition
If anchor arms are designed to extend into right ventricle to prevent migration, then valve stability is improved, but risk of interfering with pulmonary valve increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor arms are designed with specific geometric characteristics including curved configurations and rounded tips that enable them to engage the tricuspid valve annulus and leaflets effectively while minimizing penetration depth into the right ventricle. This localized optimization of anchor arm geometry provides stable fixation without compromising pulmonary valve function
3Ease of operation
If self-expanding stent is used for automatic expansion, then deployment simplicity is improved, but control over expansion timing and positioning becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is pre-formed with a larger diameter configuration and is constrained within a delivery catheter in a compressed state. The delivery catheter maintains the stent in its collapsed configuration during navigation to the implantation site, and upon deployment, the stent automatically expands to its pre-determined larger diameter configuration, ensuring precise positioning and expansion control
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 design enables secure, minimally invasive tricuspid valve replacement with reduced migration and paravalvular leaks, ensuring proper valve function and anatomical integration.
Implementation Method 1
a stent having a collapsed condition, an expanded condition
Implementation Method 2
a flange comprising a plurality of braided wires
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A prosthetic heart valve (300) may include leaflets (362) disposed within a stent (350), a flange (380), and anchor arms (370) coupled to the stent. The stent may have collapsed and expanded conditions and inflow (310) and outflow (312) ends. The flange may include a plurality of braided wires and may be coupled to the stent and may be positioned adjacent the inflow end of the stent. Each anchor arm may have a first end (370a) coupled to the stent adjacent the outflow end of the stent, a second end (370b) coupled to the stent adjacent the outflow end of the stent, and center portions (370c, 370d) extending from the first and second ends toward the inflow end of the stent. The center portions may be joined together to form a tip (370e) pointing toward the inflow end of the stent in the expanded condition of the stent.