Register now After registration you will be able to apply for this opportunity online.
This opportunity is not published. No applications will be accepted.
Design and Analysis of the Deployment of a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Stent
This thesis deals with the design and analysis of a deployment mechanisms to reliably deliver and deploy a fiber reinforced transcatheter aortic heart valve stent inside an aortic annulus. The delivery device has to be designed completely and the deployment of the structure analyzed experimentally.
Keywords: Bio medical structures, deployable structures, composites, mechansims, TAVI, Stent
Due to their high specific strength and stiffness, fiber reinforced structures are commonly used in high-performance applications. Their ability to be manufac-tured in thicknesses around 100μm makes them espe-cially interesting in the field of deployable structures.
Modern deployable structures are mainly used for the folding and deployment of satellites to reduce the stowage volume in a launcher vehicle. However these structures also get a rising interest in medical applica-tion for example in the field of heart stents.
A novel design concept for an Aortic Heart Valve Re-placement Stent has been developed at the Laboratory of Composites Materials and Adaptive Structures, which is promising to fulfill the challenging require-ments of a biomedical implant.
Non-Invasively deliverable Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve (TAVI-) Stents require diameter changes of 250% to be delivered through the human circulatory system to their intended spot in the aortic annulus crown. After delivery, those structures have to deploy reliably and create a radial outward force onto the artery walls to be fixed at their intended position. Next to their crucial mechanical properties those structures shall also in-corporate artificial polymeric heart valve leaflets re-placing the diseased ones. Due to the polymeric na-ture of the structure, the self-deployment happens abrupt and needs to be controlled through a delivery device, which allows for accurate positioning and con-trollable release of the structure.
Due to their high specific strength and stiffness, fiber reinforced structures are commonly used in high-performance applications. Their ability to be manufac-tured in thicknesses around 100μm makes them espe-cially interesting in the field of deployable structures. Modern deployable structures are mainly used for the folding and deployment of satellites to reduce the stowage volume in a launcher vehicle. However these structures also get a rising interest in medical applica-tion for example in the field of heart stents. A novel design concept for an Aortic Heart Valve Re-placement Stent has been developed at the Laboratory of Composites Materials and Adaptive Structures, which is promising to fulfill the challenging require-ments of a biomedical implant. Non-Invasively deliverable Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve (TAVI-) Stents require diameter changes of 250% to be delivered through the human circulatory system to their intended spot in the aortic annulus crown. After delivery, those structures have to deploy reliably and create a radial outward force onto the artery walls to be fixed at their intended position. Next to their crucial mechanical properties those structures shall also in-corporate artificial polymeric heart valve leaflets re-placing the diseased ones. Due to the polymeric na-ture of the structure, the self-deployment happens abrupt and needs to be controlled through a delivery device, which allows for accurate positioning and con-trollable release of the structure.
The Thesis should develop a deployment mechanism for a fiber reinforced TAVI stent, which allows accurate placement and controlled release of the structure. The structure deployment shall be analyzed experimentally in-vitro in aortic geometries. Furthermore, the success-ful deployment environments shall be predicted with simplified models and verified in the experiment. This includes:
• Literature research on Transcatheter Heart Valves Stents and their requirements, their delivery mech-anisms and deployment
• Familiarizing with the novel concept, the material and the advantages/limitations
• Design and manufacturing of a delivery and de-ployment device for the heart stent structure
• In-vitro deployment testing in aortic geometries
• Investigate feasible deployment environments and characteristics the stent and deployment device.
The Thesis should develop a deployment mechanism for a fiber reinforced TAVI stent, which allows accurate placement and controlled release of the structure. The structure deployment shall be analyzed experimentally in-vitro in aortic geometries. Furthermore, the success-ful deployment environments shall be predicted with simplified models and verified in the experiment. This includes:
• Literature research on Transcatheter Heart Valves Stents and their requirements, their delivery mech-anisms and deployment • Familiarizing with the novel concept, the material and the advantages/limitations • Design and manufacturing of a delivery and de-ployment device for the heart stent structure • In-vitro deployment testing in aortic geometries • Investigate feasible deployment environments and characteristics the stent and deployment device.
Arthur Schlothauer
LEE O225
Laboratory of Composite Materials and Adaptive Structures
arthursc@ethz.ch
+41 44 632 67 02
Arthur Schlothauer LEE O225 Laboratory of Composite Materials and Adaptive Structures arthursc@ethz.ch +41 44 632 67 02