Enhanced Balloon Expandable Endoprosthesis with Improved Navigation and Sensing Capabilities

Publication ID: 24-11857444_0001_PTD

Published: October 28, 2025

Category:Direct Improvements & Enhancements

Legal Citation

pr1or.art Inc., “Enhanced Balloon Expandable Endoprosthesis with Improved Navigation and Sensing Capabilities,” Published Technical Disclosure No. 24-11857444_0001_PTD, Published October 28, 2025, available at https://archive.pr1or.art/24-11857444_0001_PTD

This technical disclosure describes improvements that would be readily apparent to a Person Having Ordinary Skill In The Art (PHOSITA) when considered in combination with the foundational architecture disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 11,857,444.

Summary of the Inventive Concept

An improved balloon expandable endoprosthesis with enhanced navigation and sensing capabilities for more effective and safer treatment of vasculature diseases.

Background and Problem Solved

The original balloon expandable endoprosthesis patent has limitations in navigating tortuous vasculature and controlling balloon inflation, which can lead to vessel damage. The new inventive concept addresses these limitations by introducing an improved balloon assembly with reduced profile and enhanced flexibility, a pressure-sensing mechanism for controlled balloon inflation, and an integrated sensor system for real-time monitoring of vessel wall pressure, flow rate, and temperature.

Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept

The enhanced balloon expandable endoprosthesis features an improved balloon assembly with a reduced profile, enabling easier navigation through tortuous vasculature. The system includes a delivery device with a pressure-sensing mechanism to monitor and control balloon inflation, reducing the risk of vessel damage. Additionally, the endoprosthesis incorporates a novel stent-graft architecture with alternating ringed stent elements of varying diameters to accommodate different vessel sizes and shapes. The system also enables customization to a patient's specific vasculature using imaging data to create a patient-specific model of the vessel and optimize the endoprosthesis design accordingly. Furthermore, the endoprosthesis integrates a sensor system for real-time monitoring of vessel wall pressure, flow rate, and temperature, enabling more precise and effective treatment.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The new inventive concept introduces several novel and non-obvious features compared to the original patent, including the improved balloon assembly, pressure-sensing mechanism, novel stent-graft architecture, customization method, and integrated sensor system. These advancements provide significant improvements in navigation, safety, and treatment efficacy.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

Alternative embodiments of the inventive concept could include varying the material composition of the balloon assembly, incorporating additional sensors or monitoring systems, or modifying the stent-graft architecture to accommodate different vessel types or sizes.

Potential Commercial Applications and Market

The enhanced balloon expandable endoprosthesis has significant commercial potential in the medical device industry, particularly in the treatment of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, aneurysms, and stenosis. The target market includes hospitals, clinics, and medical research institutions.

CPC Classifications

Section	Class	Group
A	A61	A61F2/958
A	A61	A61F2/07
A	A61	A61M25/10
A	A61	A61F2/89
A	A61	A61F2002/072
A	A61	A61F2240/001
A	A61	A61F2240/008
A	A61	A61M2025/1004
A	A61	A61M2025/1068
A	A61	A61M2025/1075
A	A61	A61M2025/1084

Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)

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Field of Art

Medical device engineering, specifically endovascular interventional technologies focusing on stent-graft design, balloon deployment systems, and minimally invasive vascular treatment devices

Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile

A biomedical engineer with expertise in interventional cardiology/radiology, advanced knowledge of medical device design, familiarity with catheter-based delivery systems, and understanding of material science and sensor integration techniques

Obviousness Rationale

A person having ordinary skill would recognize that the PTD's enhancements represent predictable variations of the source patent's core endoprosthesis technology. The proposed modifications leverage known techniques in medical device engineering to incrementally improve balloon expandable stent-graft performance. These variations would be considered routine design optimization within the standard problem-solving approach of interventional medical device development.

Obvious Combinations & Variations

Source Patent Element

Stent-graft with multiple ringed stent elements along a longitudinal axis

PTD Variation

Introducing alternating ringed stent elements with varying diameters to accommodate different vessel sizes

Obviousness Reasoning

A PHOSITA would recognize this as a predictable design modification to enhance vessel adaptability using standard geometric variation techniques known in stent engineering

Source Patent Element

Balloon assembly for stent deployment

PTD Variation

Adding pressure-sensing mechanism to monitor and control balloon inflation

Obviousness Reasoning

Integrating sensor technology for real-time monitoring is a known technique in medical device design, representing an obvious improvement to reduce procedural risks

Source Patent Element

Basic endoprosthesis delivery system

PTD Variation

Patient-specific customization using imaging data to optimize endoprosthesis design

Obviousness Reasoning

Personalized medical device design using patient-specific imaging is a standard approach in modern interventional medical technologies, representing an obvious extension of existing design methodologies

Source Patent Element

Balloon expandable stent-graft system

PTD Variation

Integrated sensor system for monitoring vessel wall pressure, flow rate, and temperature

Obviousness Reasoning

Adding multi-parameter sensing capabilities is a predictable enhancement in medical device technology, utilizing well-established sensor integration techniques

Source Patent Element

Basic endoprosthesis delivery mechanism

PTD Variation

Reduced profile balloon assembly with enhanced flexibility for navigating tortuous vasculature

Obviousness Reasoning

Improving device navigation through geometric and material modifications represents a standard approach to addressing known clinical challenges in interventional procedures

35 U.S.C. § 103 Summary: Based on the teachings of US Patent 11857444 and the comprehensive technical variations disclosed herein, a person having ordinary skill in the art would find the claimed innovations obvious and lacking inventive step. The proposed enhancements represent predictable combinations of known techniques in medical device engineering, utilizing standard design optimization strategies that would be apparent to a skilled practitioner in the field of interventional medical technologies.

Original Patent Information

Patent Number	US 11,857,444
Title	Balloon expandable endoprosthesis
Assignee(s)	W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.