Twisting Strut Flow Diverter for Aneurysm Bifurcation Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for wide neck aneurysms located at bifurcations are inadequate due to stents and embolic coils being ineffective in maintaining blood flow diversion and stability, leading to recanalization and poor coverage across the aneurysm neck.
Innovation Solution
A flow diverter device with twisting struts extending from a central node, capable of expanding to anchor within the aneurysm and engage the aneurysm wall, featuring a proximal stabilizing frame to secure the device at bifurcations, allowing for effective blood flow diversion and stabilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stents are used to treat wide neck aneurysms at bifurcations, then blood flow diversion is achieved, but the stent inhibits blood flow through the vasculature at the bifurcation and cannot maintain stability
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the stent structure into multiple independent struts extending from a central node, allowing selective engagement with the aneurysm wall while preserving parent vessel flow. Each strut can be independently positioned to cover the aneurysm neck without completely blocking the bifurcation vessels.
Solution Approach 2:
The struts are designed with varying properties along their length, including twisting configurations and different engagement zones. The proximal portion engages with the aneurysm wall to provide stabilization, while the distal portion maintains flexibility to avoid inhibiting blood flow through the bifurcation vessels.
2Reliability
If embolic coils are used to pack aneurysms, then the aneurysm sac is filled with embolic material, but the coils can recanalize, provide poor coverage across the aneurysm neck, and extend into the adjoining blood vessel
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of filling the aneurysm sac with embolic material (coils), the device inverts the approach by placing a stent-like structure within the aneurysm that actively diverts blood flow away from the aneurysm neck. This prevents blood entry into the sac rather than relying on passive filling, eliminating the recanalization risk associated with coils.
Solution Approach 2:
The struts are designed with twisting configurations that allow dynamic adaptation to the aneurysm geometry. The twisting enables the struts to expand and engage with the aneurysm wall effectively while maintaining flexibility to accommodate the bifurcation anatomy, providing reliable coverage without extending into adjoining vessels.
3Ease of operation
If struts are twisted along their long axis, then the struts can be collapsed for delivery through a catheter, but the twisting may cause strut entanglement during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The struts are pre-twisted along their long axes during manufacturing to create a compact, catheter-deliverable configuration. This preliminary twisting is controlled and uniform, ensuring that when the device is deployed, the struts naturally untwist in a predictable manner to their final expanded configuration without becoming entangled.
Solution Approach 2:
The twisting of the struts is designed with specific asymmetric characteristics - each strut has a controlled twist angle and direction that is optimized for both delivery and deployment. The asymmetry in the twist configuration allows the struts to collapse efficiently for delivery while maintaining the ability to separate and expand cleanly during deployment, preventing entanglement.
Data Source
AI summary
Implants described herein can be used as flow diverters and can generally include a plurality of twisting struts extending from a central node. The twisting struts can be twisted along a long axis of each strut. The implant can have a proximal portion affixed to the central node and extending radially from the central node. The twisting struts can have a distal portion. The long axis can be disposed between the proximal portion and the distal portion of the twisting struts. The implant can have a collapsed configuration to be delivered through a catheter into an aneurysm. The implant can have an expanded configuration to anchor within the aneurysm.