Self-Expanding Urethral Stent with Flared Ends for BPH

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) lack effective minimally invasive procedures that can adequately address urinary outflow obstruction symptoms, leading to ongoing clinical challenges such as urinary retention and recurrent urinary tract infections.

Innovation Solution

A self-expanding urethral stent with flared ends and a tubular-shaped body, designed to be deployed within the urethra, which expands from a compressed to an expanded configuration to mechanically support the urethra and reduce prostate constriction, utilizing a stent deployment system involving an inner shaft, tube rings, and an outer sheath for precise positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional surgical procedures (TURP, TUIP, Laser Prostatectomy) are used to treat BPH, then effective relief of urinary outflow obstruction is achieved, but the procedures are highly invasive with significant recovery time and morbidity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness in relieving urinary obstructionVSAvoidinvasiveness and recovery time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the obstructing prostatic tissue through the urethra using a stent deployment system, eliminating the need for large incisions or extensive surgical intervention while achieving effective relief of urinary obstruction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A stent is introduced as an intermediary device that is deployed within the urethra to mechanically support the urethral wall and prevent collapse, thereby relieving obstruction caused by enlarged prostate without requiring removal of the prostate tissue itself

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive procedures (TUMT, TUNA, ILC) are used to treat BPH, then reduced invasiveness is achieved, but the procedures lack sufficient effectiveness in addressing severe urinary outflow obstruction

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinvasivenessVSAvoideffectiveness in relieving urinary obstruction

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is designed with a curved or angled configuration that matches the anatomical curvature of the urethra, allowing it to effectively support the urethral wall at the site of obstruction while maintaining minimally invasive deployment through the natural urethral pathway

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The stent deployment system enables controlled changes in stent parameters (expansion ratio, positioning, orientation) during the procedure, allowing optimization of therapeutic effect while maintaining minimally invasive characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a stent is deployed to mechanically support the urethra, then urinary outflow obstruction is relieved, but the stent may migrate or dislodge from the intended position

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelief of urinary obstructionVSAvoidstent positioning stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The stent incorporates asymmetric features such as flared ends or asymmetric anchoring elements that engage with the urethral wall geometry, preventing migration while maintaining symmetric functional performance for relieving obstruction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The stent is pre-shaped or pre-formed with specific geometric features (flared ends, anchoring elements) that are designed to engage with the urethral wall upon deployment, ensuring stable positioning is achieved automatically when the stent is deployed to its functional configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 stent effectively reduces urethral constriction by expanding to anchor within the urethra, improving urine flow and alleviating BPH symptoms, while being minimally invasive and adaptable to individual anatomical needs.

Implementation Method 1

the stent is a self-expanding stent that is biased to spontaneously move from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic recovery: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20240335274A1Urethral stent and stent deployment system for treating BPH and other vasculature

Publication Date: 2024.10.10 WU SHOW MEAN STEVE

AI summary

A stent (10) to be positioned within a urethra (611U) of a patient (611) includes a first stent end (12), an opposed second stent end (14), and a stent body (16) that extends between the first stent end (12) and the second stent end (14). Each of the stent ends (12, 14) is flared relative to the stent body (16). The stent body (16) has one or more bumps (18) from the first stent end (12) to the second stent end (14). The stent (10) moves from a compressed configuration (10C) as the stent (10) is initially positioned within the urethra (611U), to an expanded configuration (10E) as the stent (10) is deployed at a desired location within the urethra (611U). A stent deployment system (220) that positions the stent (10) within the urethra (611U) includes an inner shaft (224), at least one tube ring (226) positioned about the inner shaft (224), and an outer sheath (228) that is configured to substantially encircle the stent (10) as mounted about the inner shaft (224) and the at least one tube ring (226).