Vascular Compression Device for Embolic Stroke Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anti-embolic devices for preventing arterial emboli during cardiovascular surgery are complex, invasive, and often cause additional trauma to the inner vessel wall, with limitations in capturing smaller emboli and increased risk of cerebral microembolization due to their design and placement.
Innovation Solution
A device with anatomically congruent cross-sectional shapes for vascular compression, specifically designed for carotid and vertebral arteries, using compression members that can be actuated to apply greater force on the arteries than on surrounding structures, and equipped with Doppler probes for embolic particle detection, allowing for selective and safe compression to divert emboli away from critical organs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If intravascular filters are inserted into the arterial system to capture emboli, then embolic protection is improved, but device complexity and invasiveness increase, and risk of additional trauma to the vessel wall increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of inserting filters inside the vessel to capture emboli, the invention applies external compression to the artery to divert emboli away from the cerebral circulation. This inverts the approach from internal filtration to external mechanical diversion, eliminating the need for intravascular devices while achieving embolic protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the embolic protection function from the intravascular space and relocates it to the extravascular space. By placing compression members externally on the artery, the system removes the need for complex intravascular filters and their associated risks of vessel wall trauma and thrombosis.
2Reliability
If standard intravascular filters with pore sizes of 60-140 μm are used, then larger emboli are captured, but smaller emboli smaller than the pore size pass through causing cerebral microembolization
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than attempting to filter all emboli sizes through pore structures, the invention inverts the approach by using external compression to prevent emboli of any size from entering cerebral circulation in the first place. This mechanical diversion method is not limited by pore size constraints.
3Ease of manufacture
If compression members with uniform cross-sectional shapes are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but selective compression of arteries while avoiding surrounding structures becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The compression members are designed with non-uniform cross-sectional shapes that concentrate compressive force at specific locations corresponding to the artery position. This local quality variation allows selective compression of the artery while distributing lower forces on surrounding structures, achieving both manufacturing feasibility and operational precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression members employ asymmetric cross-sectional geometries tailored to the specific anatomical location of each artery. This asymmetry enables the compression device to conform to the irregular spatial relationships between arteries and surrounding structures, facilitating selective compression without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
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 device effectively prevents embolic injury by diverting emboli from cerebral circulation, reducing the risk of stroke and other complications during cardiovascular procedures while minimizing trauma to the vessel wall and surrounding structures.
Implementation Method 1
equipped with Doppler probes for embolic particle detection
Implementation Method 2
compression members that can be actuated to apply greater force on the arteries than on surrounding structures
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides for specific shapes and combinations of the compression members amenable to the safest, yet most effective compression of the carotid and vertebral arteries aimed at prevention of embolic stroke. An associated method of achieving an optimal compression of said arteries for the purpose of stroke prevention is provided.