Vascular Connector With Venous Outflow Limb
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vascular bypass grafts often become occluded due to low blood flow velocity, leading to clot formation and graft failure, necessitating repeated surgeries for intervention.
Innovation Solution
A vascular connector system with a primary graft and a venous outflow limb that maintains high blood flow velocity by diverting excess blood flow to a vessel of lower pressure, using a stenosis restrictor to control flow and prevent clotting, and adjustable configurations to accommodate individual patient needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a bypass graft is implanted to provide a substitute route for blood flow, then blood flow around occlusion is improved, but the graft itself becomes occluded due to low blood flow velocity leading to clot formation
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass graft is divided into multiple segments or channels, creating a multi-lumen structure that allows blood to flow through separate pathways. This segmentation increases the total cross-sectional area for blood flow, maintaining higher flow velocity in each individual lumen and reducing the risk of clot formation while still providing adequate blood flow to bypass the occlusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-lumen graft to a multi-lumen graft, adding a dimensional aspect to the flow path. By creating multiple parallel flow channels within the graft structure, the system increases the effective flow capacity and maintains higher velocity profiles in each lumen, preventing stasis and clot formation while improving overall blood flow delivery.
2Reliability
If the bypass graft provides adequate blood flow to prevent clotting, then graft patency is improved, but the structural complexity of the graft increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow channels are merged into a single integrated graft structure, sharing common walls and support layers. This merging approach maintains the benefits of multiple lumens for improved flow velocity and clot prevention, while consolidating structural components to reduce overall device complexity and simplify implantation procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-lumen graft structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides adequate blood flow to prevent clotting, maintains structural integrity, and offers flexibility in surgical implantation. The shared walls and common structural elements perform both structural support and flow channel definition, reducing the need for separate components.
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 system significantly reduces the risk of clot formation and improves graft patency by maintaining sufficient blood flow velocity, reducing the need for repeated surgeries and allowing for non-invasive adjustments to blood flow based on medical conditions.
Implementation Method 1
one end of the primary graft stem may be tapered such as to increase blood pressure at the tapered end
Implementation Method 2
using a stenosis restrictor to control flow and prevent clotting
Data Source
AI summary
A vascular connector configured to bypass an occluded vessel comprises a primary graft stem and a venous outflow stem. In general, the primary graft stem accepts a blood flow from an occluded vessel to bypass the occlusion. The venous outflow stem may extend from a wall of the primary graft stem and divert a portion of the blood flow to a native vein or other vessel of the vascular system. This configuration is beneficial in ensuring adequate blood flow at the vascular connector to inhibit the formation of clots and to extend the patency of the vascular connector.