Industrial Design · Medical Device
Occluder for LAA (Left Atrial Appendage)
A minimally invasive closure device for the Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) — designed to reduce stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) by sealing the primary site of blood clot formation in the heart.
The Challenge
The left atrial appendage is the source of over 90% of atrial fibrillation-related strokes. Existing occluder devices required complex, multi-step procedures with significant radiation exposure. The challenge: design a device that achieves reliable occlusion with fewer procedural steps and shorter fluoroscopy time.
Anatomy & Engineering
Analyzed LAA anatomy across patient imaging data to inform device sizing, geometry, and deployment mechanics. Developed a concept with a self-sizing, single-lobe design to reduce procedural variability.
Prototyping & Testing
Fabricated and tested device iterations in anatomical models, validating deployment behavior, seal quality, and anchoring stability across the range of target anatomies.
Outcome
A novel occluder design offering reliable, single-lobe LAA closure with a streamlined deployment workflow and reduced procedure time.
