Blood flow reducer for cardiovascular treatment
A blood flow reducing assembly includes a catheter shaft and an expandable occlusion member assembled with the catheter shaft. The expandable occlusion member includes foldable protrusions. One or more manipulation members are connected to the foldable protrusions and operative to move the foldable protrusions closer to or further away from one other. Movement of the foldable protrusions modifies occlusion ability of the foldable protrusions.
1. An adjustable blood flow reducing system for adjustably reducing blood flow within a blood vessel, the system comprising:
a handle;
a catheter shaft configured to fit within a blood vessel, the blood vessel including a blood vessel diameter (BVD);
a plurality of connecting links configured to extend from the handle and through the catheter shaft; and
an expandable element configured to be placed within the blood vessel, the expandable element arranged on a distal end portion of the catheter shaft and operatively connected to the handle via at least the connecting links, the expandable element comprising:
a plurality of interconnecting struts forming, at least when expanded:
a first proximal section mounted on the distal end portion of the catheter shaft, wherein the first proximal section has an initial diameter corresponding approximately to the distal end portion of the catheter shaft,
a cylindrical section following the proximal section and having a first diameter, the first diameter corresponding at least approximately to the BVD, wherein the initial diameter of the proximal section distally increases up to the first diameter,
a plurality of circumferentially arranged, distally projecting and radial inwardly foldable protrusions arranged on a distal end of the cylindrical section and adjustable relative thereto via movement of the connecting links, each foldable protrusion comprising a first single strut connected at a first end to a portion of the distal end of the cylindrical section and connected at a second end to first ends of a pair of associated struts having distally connected second ends thereby forming an enclosed area therebetween,
and
a blood flow orifice having a second diameter formed by distal ends of the foldable protrusions,
and
a blood impervious cover configured to cover at least a distal portion of the cylindrical section and the foldable protrusions,
wherein the expandable element is configured such that upon implantation within the blood vessel:
the orifice is arranged downstream relative to blood flow of the blood vessel,
blood flows into the expandable element via openings formed between the interconnected struts of the proximal section,
the connecting links are configured to pivot the foldable protrusions via manipulation of the handle so as to change the second diameter of the orifice for producing a desired reduced blood flow from the orifice while maintaining the first diameter of the cylindrical section within the vessel, and
the second diameter decreases as the foldable protrusions fold inwardly.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the foldable protrusions are each configured in the form of a loop.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the expandable element includes a self-expandable portion.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the self-expandable portion is made from nitinol.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a control knob.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a spindle operably connected to the plurality of connecting links.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a control knob and a spindle.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the control knob is operably connected to the spindle.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the spindle is operably connected to the plurality of connecting links.
10. The system of claim 5 , wherein the control knob is configured to pull or otherwise manipulate connecting links via the spindle so as to move the protrusions to effect the change of the second diameter.