Adjustable Vascular Ring With Overpressure Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vascular implants, such as inflatable rings, fail to effectively control blood flow and pressure in vessels like the portal vein, particularly during hepatectomies and liver transplants, leading to complications like the 'Small For Size' syndrome, and often require additional surgeries for removal.
Innovation Solution
A ring with an adjustable inner diameter, comprising an outer belt and an inflatable/deflatable inner chamber, connected by a flexible tube, featuring closing means with perforations and protrusions that allow easy removal by over-inflation, ensuring safe and non-traumatic modulation of blood flow and pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an inflatable vascular ring is used to control blood flow, then the flow rate and pressure can be adjusted, but the device causes stenosis and thrombosis risks due to crushing compression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid crushing compression of traditional inflatable rings with a flexible membrane that conforms to the vessel wall. The membrane is inflated to a controlled pressure to compress the vessel without causing stenosis, as it distributes the force evenly across the vessel surface rather than concentrating it at compression points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a pneumatic system with an inflatable chamber connected to a controllable pressure source. By regulating the inflation pressure, the system can dynamically adjust the degree of vessel compression, allowing precise control of blood flow rate and pressure while avoiding excessive compression that would cause stenosis.
2Reliability
If a traditional inflatable ring is implanted, then blood flow can be restricted, but removal requires additional surgery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a dynamic release mechanism where the membrane's attachment to the vessel wall can be reversibly activated or deactivated. The membrane is initially anchored to provide secure blood flow control, but the anchoring mechanism can be released through a simple external action (such as pulling a thread or activating a magnetic release), allowing the membrane to be detached and removed without additional surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary anchoring mechanism (such as sutures, clips, or adhesive elements) that temporarily secures the membrane to the vessel wall during the control period. This intermediary attachment can be easily released when removal is desired, facilitating simple extraction of the device without requiring surgical intervention.
3Productivity
If the inner diameter of the ring is reduced to control flow, then blood flow rate decreases, but turbulence and thrombosis risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane conformally adheres to the vessel wall, creating a smooth compression surface that maintains laminar blood flow. This eliminates turbulence by avoiding the sharp edges and irregular compression surfaces of rigid rings, thereby preventing thrombosis even when the effective lumen diameter is reduced for flow control.
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 ring provides effective, safe, and reliable control of blood flow and pressure, reducing the risk of stenosis and thrombosis, and can be easily removed without additional surgery, addressing the limitations of existing implants and improving outcomes in hepatic surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
an inner chamber (4) that can be inflated and deflated in the closed position, so as to vary its inner diameter
Data Source
AI summary
Ring comprising:an outer belt (3) equipped with closing means (7) for closing the ring (1) around a duct (2);an inner chamber (4) that can be inflated and deflated;a flexible inflation/deflation tube (5);wherein the lips have contact surfaces facing each other, the closing means comprising at least one perforation arranged on the contact surface of a first of the two lips and at least one protrusion protruding from the contact surface of a second of the two lips, the protrusion and the perforation being configured so that the protrusion is retained in the perforation by fitting, the fitting being selected to be released in the event of overpressure in the ring.