Vascular Anchoring System for Bifurcated Artery Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Positioning and maintaining implants in vascular areas, especially bifurcated vasculatures, is challenging due to unintended movement, which can lead to misalignment and undesirable consequences, particularly when the implant is sectioned into portions that need to be positioned relative to one another.
Innovation Solution
The development of a vascular anchoring system with self-aligning and self-expanding anchoring trunk members and branch members that are flexible and compliant to the vessel wall, allowing for unobstructed fluid flow and accommodation of variations in vessel size and shape, ensuring proper positioning and stability within the vascular environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the implant is sectioned into portions for positioning, then the implant can be adapted to complex vascular geometries, but unintended movement occurs leading to misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is divided into multiple sectionable portions that can be independently positioned and deployed within the vascular system. Each portion can be advanced through the vasculature separately and then connected, allowing navigation through complex geometries while maintaining precise alignment through controlled assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
A delivery catheter serves as an intermediary tool to guide and position each implant portion precisely before connection. The catheter provides a stable rail system that ensures accurate alignment of multiple sections during the deployment process, preventing unintended movement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid anchoring structures are used to maintain stability, then positioning stability is improved, but the implant cannot accommodate variations in vessel size and shape
Solution Approach 1:
The anchoring structures incorporate dynamic elements that allow them to adapt to varying vessel geometries while maintaining stability. The anchoring portions can flex and conform to the local vascular shape, and the flexible connecting portions allow movement compensation, enabling the implant to stabilize in vessels of different sizes and shapes.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant includes flexible connecting portions and compliant anchoring structures that can deform to match the vascular wall contours. This flexibility allows the implant to accommodate variations in vessel size and shape while still providing sufficient anchoring force to maintain positioning stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the implant structure is made flexible to accommodate vessel variations, then adaptability is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The implant is segmented into multiple portions with distinct functional characteristics. Rigid anchoring portions maintain alignment precision at the vessel wall interface, while flexible connecting portions accommodate vessel variations. This segmentation allows each portion to optimize its specific function without compromising overall alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the implant have different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The anchoring portions are rigid for precise alignment with the vessel wall, while the connecting portions are flexible to accommodate vessel shape variations. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between flexibility and precision.
Data Source
AI summary
As described herein, vascular anchoring systems are used to position an implant in a vascular area such as a bifurcated vasculature with relatively high fluid flow, for instance, in an area of a pulmonary artery with associated left and right pulmonary arteries. Implementations include an anchoring trunk member having a first anchoring trunk section and a second anchoring trunk section. Further implementations include a first anchoring branch member extending from the anchoring trunk member. Still further implementations include a second anchoring branch member extending from the anchoring trunk member.