Remote actuated valve implant
Valve implant systems positionable within a flow passage, the systems having an inlet, an outlet, and a remotely activatable valve between the inlet and outlet, with the valves being operable to provide intermittent occlusion of the flow path. A remote field is applied to provide thermal or magnetic activation of the valves.
1. A thermally actuated valve comprising:
a tubing;
an expandable lumen arranged adjacent to an interior sidewall of the tubing;
a thermally responsive polymer arranged within the expandable lumen; and
a thermal actuating element comprising a coil wire and a resistance heater electrically connected to the coil wire, wherein in response to an external electrical field, a current is induced in the coil wire to power the resistance heater to heat the thermally responsive polymer to switch the thermally responsive polymer between a swollen state that expands the lumen and a shrunken state that deflates the lumen to vary a flow rate of fluid through the tubing.
2. The thermally actuated valve of claim 1 , wherein the thermally responsive polymer is anchored to the expandable lumen to form an annulus defining a variable flow path through the open region of the annulus.
3. A valve implant system comprising:
a thermally activated valve comprising:
a tubing;
an expandable lumen arranged adjacent to an interior sidewall of the tubing; and
a thermally responsive polymer arranged within the expandable lumen;
a thermal actuating element comprising a coil wire and a resistance heater electrically connected to the coil wire, wherein in response to an external electrical field, a current is induced in the coil wire to power the resistance heater to heat the thermally responsive polymer to switch the thermally responsive polymer between a swollen state that expands the lumen and a shrunken state that deflates the lumen to vary a flow rate of fluid through the tubing;
an inlet in communication with a first opening of the tubing of the thermally activated valve; and
an outlet in communication with a second opening of the tubing of the thermally activated valve.
4. The valve implant system of claim 3 , wherein the thermally responsive polymer is anchored to the expandable lumen to form an annulus defining a variable flow path through the open region of the annulus.
5. The thermally actuated valve of claim 1 , wherein the resistance heater comprises a thin-film metal resistance heater patterned to the tubing.
6. The thermally actuated valve of claim 1 , wherein the resistance heater comprises a resistance wire wrapped around the tubing.
7. The thermally actuated valve of claim 1 , wherein the lumen comprises a membrane or perforation for allowing fluid to be expelled or absorbed by the thermally responsive polymer.
8. The valve implant system of claim 3 , wherein the resistance heater comprises a thin-film metal resistance heater patterned to the tubing.
9. The valve implant system of claim 3 , wherein the resistance heater comprises a resistance wire wrapped around the tubing.
10. The valve implant system of claim 3 , wherein the lumen comprises a membrane or perforation for allowing fluid to be expelled or absorbed by the thermally responsive polymer.