Transcatheter Valve Skirt Seam Alignment for Reduced Delivery Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transcatheter valves, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,914,569, have a bulk profile prior to deployment that can be reduced to enhance performance without altering the successful design, by rearranging components to exploit the frame structure for maintaining reduced bulk after deployment.
Innovation Solution
The transcatheter valve prosthesis features a self-expanding frame with a skirt having three asymmetric portions and a side seam aligned with the frame's nodes, reducing bulk and biological response, while maintaining structural integrity and anchoring capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve prosthesis uses a multi-level component design with a multi-portion skirt, then anchoring is enhanced and migration risk is reduced, but the profile (diameter) prior to deployment becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The valve prosthesis is designed to be nested within a delivery catheter in a compressed state, allowing the multi-level component and multi-portion skirt to be contained in a small profile during delivery, then expand to their full functional configuration after deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The valve prosthesis transitions from a static compressed state during delivery to a dynamic expanded state after deployment, allowing the skirt portions to assume their asymmetric configurations for optimal anchoring while maintaining a small delivery profile
2Strength
If the skirt portions are made asymmetric about an axis aligned with the longitudinal direction, then structural integrity and anchoring are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The skirt is divided into multiple discrete portions that can be manufactured separately using standardized processes, then assembled together to form the complete asymmetric structure, reducing the manufacturing complexity of each individual component while achieving the overall asymmetric configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The skirt portions are designed with asymmetric geometry about an axis aligned with the longitudinal direction of the valve prosthesis, optimizing structural integrity and anchoring capability while the modular segmentation approach keeps manufacturing feasible
Data Source
AI summary
A transcatheter valve having an expandable frame and a collapsible multi-portion skirt within the frame are provided with seams between the portions of the skirt that are located to cooperate with features of the frame and thereby reduce the exposure of the seams.