Vascular Prosthesis Terminal Stent Ring for Controlled Expansion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vascular prostheses face issues such as vascular injuries, dislocation, and thrombus formation due to exposed stent springs, and require complex loading and delivery systems that are not suitable for narrower vessels.

Innovation Solution

A vascular prosthesis design with a first self-expanding terminal stent ring meandering circumferentially and attached to prosthetic material, featuring a thread element that allows controlled expansion and rotation, eliminating the need for 'bare springs and preventing dislocation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional vascular prostheses with exposed stent springs are used, then anchoring and structural support are achieved, but vascular injuries, dislocation, and thrombus formation occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring reliabilityVSAvoidvascular injuries

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the harmful exposed stent springs from the proximal end by introducing a terminal stent ring structure where the stent ring is continuously covered by prosthetic material. The stent ring provides structural support while the covering material eliminates direct contact between metal springs and blood, preventing vascular injuries and thrombus formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a terminal stent ring structure where the stent ring is continuously covered by prosthetic material (textile or polymer film). This flexible covering allows the stent ring to expand and provide structural support while preventing direct interaction between the metal structure and blood, thus eliminating the harmful effects of exposed springs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Manufacturing precision

If complex loading and delivery systems are used to ensure precise placement, then implantation control is improved, but device complexity and suitability for narrower vessels deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplacement precisionVSAvoiddelivery system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a dynamic control mechanism using a pull wire that runs through the stent ring structure. By pulling the wire, the stent ring can be dynamically adjusted from a compressed delivery state to an expanded deployed state, providing precise control over placement while using a simple wire-pull mechanism rather than complex mechanical systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a pull wire as an intermediary element to control the expansion and placement of the stent ring. The wire transmits force from the delivery system to the stent ring, enabling precise control of implantation without requiring complex mechanical coupling or anchoring mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If self-expanding terminal stent rings with thread elements are used, then controlled expansion and rotation are achieved, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolled expansionVSAvoidstent ring structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into the terminal stent ring structure: structural support, controlled expansion via pull wire, and rotation control. The thread element serves both as a structural component of the stent ring and as a control mechanism for expansion, merging structural and functional elements to reduce overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal stent ring with thread element serves multiple purposes: it provides structural support at the terminus, enables controlled expansion through the pull wire mechanism, and allows for rotation control. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Enables precise placement, controlled expansion, and rotation of the prosthesis, reducing vascular injuries and thrombus formation, and facilitating simplified loading and delivery.

Implementation Method 1

a first self-expanding terminal stent ring (22) is provided at the proximal end (14)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSelf-expansion: Elastic Recovery

Implementation Method 2

the first stent ring (22) can be transferred from a radially compressed state into an expanded state via a tensile load or tensile relief of the at least one thread element (30a, 30b)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTensile load: Tension

Data Source

PatentUS12544214B2Vascular prosthesis

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 JOTEC

AI summary

The present invention relates to a vascular prosthesis for a blood vessel of a patient, comprising: a hollow cylindrical main body having a prosthetic material, a longitudinal axis (L), and a stent frame, wherein the main body includes proximal and distal openings at proximal and distal ends, and wherein the vascular prosthesis having a first terminal stent ring attached to the prosthetic material at at least one end, and wherein the vascular prosthesis has at least one thread element attached thereto, wherein the at least one thread element reduces the diameter of the respective distal or proximal opening by tensile loading.