Variable-Interstice Intravascular Mesh for Secure Clot Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intravascular devices struggle to effectively retrieve blood clots and other obstructions from human blood vessels due to limitations in interstice size and expansion mechanisms, leading to inefficiencies in capturing and removing these obstructions.
Innovation Solution
An intravascular medical device with an expandable mesh structure featuring varying wire arrangements and interstices sizes, allowing for controlled expansion and penetration of clots, with different sections having varying diameters and interstices to facilitate secure clot retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mesh structure uses uniform small interstices throughout, then the clot can be held securely during retrieval, but the device cannot effectively penetrate through the clot due to large radial forces required
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh structure implements varying interstice sizes at different locations: larger central interstices (e.g., 2-5mm) facilitate clot penetration with reduced radial forces, while smaller distal and proximal interstices (e.g., 0.5-2mm) secure the clot during retrieval. This spatial variation in interstice quality resolves the contradiction between penetration ease and retrieval security.
2Force
If the mesh structure uses uniform large interstices throughout, then the device can easily penetrate through the clot, but the clot cannot be securely held during retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh structure implements varying interstice sizes at different locations: larger central interstices (e.g., 2-5mm) facilitate clot penetration with reduced radial forces, while smaller distal and proximal interstices (e.g., 0.5-2mm) secure the clot during retrieval. This spatial variation in interstice quality resolves the contradiction between penetration ease and retrieval security.
3Ease of manufacture
If the device is designed with fixed structure, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the device cannot adapt to blood vessels of varying diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs an expandable mesh structure that transitions from a compressed delivery state to an expanded working state. The mesh can be inflated via balloon or self-expanding mechanisms, allowing the same device to adapt to different vessel diameters while maintaining structural integrity and variable interstice patterns for effective clot engagement.
4Reliability
If the mesh structure has varying wire arrangements, then the interstices sizes can be optimized for both penetration and retrieval, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh structure is divided into distinct segments with different wire arrangements: a central segment with larger interstices for penetration and distal/proximal segments with smaller interstices for securement. This segmentation allows optimization of each region's function while maintaining overall device coherence and manufacturability through modular construction.
Data Source
AI summary
Intraluminal devices and methods for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel using an intraluminal device are provided. The intraluminal device can include a flexible shaft and an expandable wire mesh structure extending from the flexible shaft, the wire mesh structure including at least one first expandable section having a first wire arrangement pattern and at least one second expandable section having a second wire arrangement pattern different from the first wire arrangement pattern. In addition, interstices in the at least one first expandable section can differ in size from interstices in the at least one second expandable section.