An integrated targeted repair aid for sports soft tissue injury

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of sports soft tissue injury integrated targeting repair protection, the protection includes protection body, the medicated cabin component being set to its inner side, with the needleless connector port being communicated with medicated cabin component, the controlled-release membrane patch covering medicated cabin component and the annular adhesive seal layer being set between controlled-release membrane patch and protection body.Using, first, controlled-release membrane patch is pasted on the affected area, then wear protection and fixed, then inject active gel into medicated cabin through needleless connector port.Drugs are continuously permeated to target tissue at controllable rate through controlled-release membrane patch in sealed environment.The application combines mechanical support and local targeted sustained drug delivery, solves the problem of poor drug targeting, short action time and inconvenience of traditional treatment, realizes long-acting and precise drug repair while providing stable physical fixation, and improves the efficacy and patient compliance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical devices and rehabilitation engineering technology, specifically to an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries. Background Technology

[0002] Soft tissue injuries such as Achilles tendinitis, tendinopathy, and ligament sprains are extremely common in sports and daily activities. Currently, the conventional treatment for these injuries often combines physical immobilization with medication.

[0003] For physical immobilization, elastic ankle and knee braces are widely used, primarily to reduce swelling and promote soft tissue healing by providing external pressure and limiting excessive joint movement. For drug treatment, oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or topical ointments / patches are typically used. However, existing solutions have the following significant drawbacks: Systemic drug delivery is inefficient and has significant side effects: Oral drugs need to circulate throughout the bloodstream to reach the lesion, resulting in low effective drug concentrations at the site of injury and a tendency to cause systemic side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort and burden on the liver and kidneys.

[0004] Topical drug delivery methods are crude, with poor targeting and persistence: Traditional topical ointments or patches have low transdermal penetration efficiency and are prone to falling off or shifting due to skin cleaning, sweating, or joint movement, failing to guarantee continuous and stable drug release at the site of injury. This results in significant drug waste and makes it difficult to guarantee efficacy.

[0005] Existing medical devices are limited in function and cannot provide integrated treatment: While some protective gear on the market includes simple medicated pads, these pads are often just cotton or gel pads soaked in medication. They lack a controlled-release mechanism, resulting in a rapid drop in concentration after the initial burst of release, failing to achieve long-lasting sustained release. More importantly, these protective devices typically have poor sealing, allowing sweat to easily seep in during exercise, or causing medication to leak from the edges, leading to skin irritation, medication waste, and a poor patient experience.

[0006] Inconvenient drug administration: Some reusable drug administration devices have complex structures and may require special injection tools or be operated by professionals, making them unsuitable for patients' daily home rehabilitation use.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for an integrated solution that can seamlessly integrate precise physical support, reliable sealing technology, controllable local drug release, and convenient supplementary drug delivery to solve key technical problems in the treatment of sports soft tissue injuries, such as poor drug targeting, short duration of action, inconvenience of use, and large systemic side effects. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, a specific embodiment of the present invention provides an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries, comprising a brace body, a drug delivery chamber assembly, a needleless connector port, a controlled-release membrane patch, and an annular adhesive sealing layer. The drug delivery chamber assembly is disposed on the inner side of the brace body at the Achilles tendon; the needleless connector port is located on the outer side of the brace body and communicates with the drug delivery chamber assembly; the controlled-release membrane patch is adhered to the inner side of the brace body and covers the drug delivery chamber assembly; the annular adhesive sealing layer is disposed between the controlled-release membrane patch and the brace body; wherein the drug delivery chamber assembly is used to load an active gel, and the controlled-release membrane patch is used to control the rate at which the active gel penetrates into the soft tissue.

[0010] In addition, the integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries proposed in this application may also have the following additional technical features: In one embodiment of this application, the protective gear body includes a main sleeve made of high-elastic nylon material and elastic straps disposed at the upper and lower ends of the main sleeve; the main sleeve is in the shape of a sock that wraps around the ankle joint, and the inner side is provided with a hollow area corresponding to the lower end of the tibia and the calcaneus.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the dosing chamber assembly includes a transparent gel reservoir and a dosing chamber inlet sealed and fixed to the outer surface of the gel reservoir; the gel reservoir is embedded in a preset mounting position of the main sleeve, and the outer surface of the gel reservoir is tightly engaged and fixed to the inner wall of the main sleeve around the hollow area; the dosing chamber inlet is exposed on the outside of the main sleeve through an opening on the main sleeve.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the bottom of the needleless connector port is detachably connected to the dosing chamber inlet via a Luer connector structure, and the end face of the needleless connector port is flush with the outer surface of the main sleeve.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the controlled-release membrane patch is a medical semi-permeable membrane, and the surface of the controlled-release membrane patch facing the drug delivery chamber assembly is densely covered with micron-sized drug permeation micropores, the diameter of which is 1μm-50μm.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, the annular adhesive sealing layer is a medical silicone sealing ring. The outer edge of the annular adhesive sealing layer is bonded to the inner wall of the main sleeve, and the inner edge is bonded to the outer periphery of the controlled-release membrane patch, which is used to press the controlled-release membrane patch tightly against the skin surface of the affected area.

[0015] A method of using the integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries includes the following steps: S1: Applying the film: Apply the controlled-release film patch coated with the annular adhesive sealing layer to the Achilles tendon injury site. S2: Wearing step: Put the protective gear body with the drug delivery chamber assembly on the ankle and lock it in place with the elastic strap; S3: Injection step, a quantitative amount of active gel is injected into the gel reservoir through the inlet of the drug delivery chamber via the needleless connector port; S4: Release step, the active gel in the gel reservoir penetrates into the Achilles tendon tissue through the controlled-release membrane patch, and under the action of the annular adhesive sealing layer, a high concentration of drug is maintained locally, achieving sustained-release treatment for 12-24 hours.

[0016] The advantages of this invention compared to existing technologies are: (1) By combining physical support braces with a controlled-release drug system, stable mechanical protection is provided while local targeted drug delivery is achieved, avoiding the systemic side effects of oral administration and realizing integrated treatment of “mechanical and drug combination”.

[0017] (2) By using controlled-release membrane patches with specific pore sizes, the release rate of active drug components can be precisely controlled to achieve gradient sustained release for up to 12-24 hours, maintain the effective drug concentration at the site of injury, and significantly improve the therapeutic effect.

[0018] (3) The ring-shaped adhesive sealing layer design can form a physical barrier around the controlled-release membrane patch, effectively preventing the intrusion of sweat and moisture during exercise and the lateral leakage of the drug solution, ensuring the stability and cleanliness of the drug administration environment, and improving the applicability and comfort during sports rehabilitation.

[0019] (4) The needleless connector port with standard Luer connector allows patients or medical staff to conveniently and safely supplement medications using ordinary syringes without complicated operations or professional training, which is convenient for home and outpatient rehabilitation treatment.

[0020] (5) The transparent gel reservoir design makes it easy to observe the remaining amount and state of the medicine; the hollow design of the protective gear body and the elastic strap design ensure that the key parts are pressurized and fixed, while improving the comfort of wearing and adaptability to different users' limb sizes.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a front view of an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a right view of an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a rear view of an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a left view of an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the usage method and drug release process of an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Protective gear body; 2. Dosing chamber assembly; 3. Needleless connector port; 4. Controlled-release membrane patch; 5. Annular adhesive sealing layer; 11. Main sleeve; 12. Elastic strap; 13. Hollowed-out area; 21. Gel reservoir; 22. Dosing chamber inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in the figure, an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to an embodiment of the present invention is mainly composed of five core parts: brace body 1, drug delivery chamber assembly 2, needleless connector port 3, controlled release membrane patch 4, and annular adhesive sealing layer 5.

[0027] The protective gear body 1 is the carrier of the entire device and also the main body providing physical support. In this embodiment, the protective gear body 1 is made of a single piece of highly elastic nylon material. Its overall macroscopic shape is like a sock that wraps around the ankle joint for easy wearing.

[0028] To ensure effective compression fixation of the ankle joint while improving patient comfort and avoiding excessive local pressure, this embodiment features a targeted structural design on the inner surface of the main sleeve 11. Specifically, the inner side of the main sleeve 11 has padding areas corresponding to the lower end of the tibia (the protruding part of the medial and lateral malleoli) and the calcaneus, and a hollow area 13 is pre-set directly behind the Achilles tendon (i.e., the area with greater stress).

[0029] The hollowed-out area 13 not only effectively reduces the pressure of the brace on unnecessary areas around the Achilles tendon and prevents poor blood circulation caused by prolonged wear, but also provides the necessary physical space for the subsequent placement of the drug delivery chamber component 2.

[0030] In addition, to accommodate users with different leg circumferences and to ensure that the protective gear will not slip during use, elastic straps 12 extend laterally from both the upper and lower ends of the main sleeve 11. The inner side of the strap has a Velcro hook side, and the outer side has a rough side. By bonding the two together, the length of the strap can be adjusted arbitrarily, thereby achieving a stable lock on the ankle.

[0031] The dosing chamber assembly 2 is the basic unit for realizing drug storage and targeted release. In this embodiment, the dosing chamber assembly 2 is designed as an embedded module.

[0032] Specifically, the drug delivery chamber assembly 2 includes a transparent gel reservoir 21 and a drug delivery chamber inlet 22. The gel reservoir 21 is blow-molded from a medical-grade transparent flexible polymer material (such as TPU or silicone), forming a sealed cavity inside for loading the therapeutic active gel. The transparent material was chosen to allow medical personnel to visually observe the drug filling level and remaining drug volume within the reservoir during subsequent injection procedures.

[0033] The gel reservoir 21 is precisely embedded in a pre-set mounting position on the main sleeve 11, which coincides with the hollowed-out area 13. To ensure that the gel reservoir 21 will not shift, twist, or rupture under pressure during the patient's daily activities or strenuous exercise, the outer edge of the gel reservoir 21 is tightly sewn or snapped to the inner wall of the main sleeve 11 surrounding the hollowed-out area 13 using industrial sewing or high-strength medical-grade double-sided tape.

[0034] The drug delivery chamber inlet 22 is a slender medical-grade catheter structure. One end of it is sealed and fixed to the center of the outer surface of the gel reservoir 21, so that the inner lumen of the catheter is connected to the inner lumen of the gel reservoir 21. The other end of the drug delivery chamber inlet 22 passes through a corresponding sealing through hole on the main sleeve 11 and is exposed on the outside of the main sleeve 11.

[0035] The needleless connector port 3 is a key component for achieving sterile and convenient drug delivery. In this embodiment, the needleless connector port 3 exists independently of the main sleeve 11, but is closely connected to it.

[0036] In terms of structural design, the bottom of the pinless connector port 3 (i.e., the end that contacts the drug delivery compartment inlet 22) is detachably connected to the drug delivery compartment inlet 22 via a standard Luer connector structure. This connection method is a commonly used quick-connect structure in the medical field, which can ensure a tight connection and absolute sealing, while also facilitating disassembly and replacement by medical personnel with one hand.

[0037] After connection, the end face of the pinless connector port 3 (i.e., the operating end exposed to the outside) remains substantially flush with the outer surface of the main sleeve 11. This design avoids the protruding port causing snagging or scratching injuries to the user during movement.

[0038] Furthermore, the internal channel of the needleless connector port 3 is typically pre-installed with a self-sealing silicone diaphragm. When a sterile syringe without a needle is inserted and medication is injected, and then the syringe is withdrawn, the silicone diaphragm automatically springs back to seal the channel, thereby achieving safe medication injection and preventing contamination in a needle-free environment.

[0039] The controlled-release membrane patch 4 is the core functional membrane that determines the drug release rate and achieves "targeted sustained release". In this embodiment, the controlled-release membrane patch 4 is a medical semi-permeable membrane with a certain mechanical strength.

[0040] To achieve continuous and uniform release of the active gel, the surface of the controlled-release membrane patch 4 facing the drug delivery chamber assembly 2 (i.e., the gel reservoir 21) has undergone special microfabrication treatment. Specifically, this surface is densely covered with micron-sized drug permeation micropores. These micropores are formed through precise laser drilling or nuclear track technology, and their diameter is strictly controlled within a specific micron-scale range (e.g., between 1 micrometer and 50 micrometers). The pore size directly determines the permeation flux of drug molecules and is the physical basis for achieving long-lasting sustained release of 12 to 24 hours.

[0041] The annular adhesive sealing layer 5 is used to create a localized drug release microenvironment between the skin and the protective garment. In this embodiment, the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 is a medical silicone sealing ring or a high-viscosity acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive ring.

[0042] In the installation position, the outer edge of the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 is permanently bonded to the inner wall of the main sleeve 11 (i.e., the fabric portion surrounding the perforated area 13). The inner edge of the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 is overlapped and bonded to the outer peripheral area of ​​the controlled-release membrane patch 4.

[0043] In this way, when the entire protective gear is assembled and attached to the skin, the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 can firmly "press" the outer edge of the controlled-release membrane patch 4 onto the affected skin, forming a closed annular sealing ring.

[0044] Those skilled in the art will understand that the working principle of the integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries of the present invention is based on a combination of physical fixation and chemical penetration. First, through the elastic bands 12 and the overall wrapping structure of the brace body 1, continuous and uniform pressure is applied to the injured ankle joint, which helps reduce soft tissue edema and provides stable mechanical support for the Achilles tendon, limiting its excessive movement. Second, and most importantly, through the local targeted drug delivery system, high concentrations of therapeutic drugs are directly delivered to the injured site, greatly improving treatment efficiency and reducing the toxic side effects of systemic medication.

[0045] In actual clinical use or daily rehabilitation, the workflow of the protective gear of this invention is as follows: Step S1: Application of the film. The operator first applies a small amount of skin pretreatment agent to the affected area (such as the Achilles tendon pain point in an Achilles tendonitis patient). After the skin dries, the operator removes the pre-assembled controlled-release film patch 4 and annular adhesive sealing layer 5 from the protective gear of this invention. The center of the controlled-release film patch 4, coated with the annular adhesive sealing layer 5, is aligned with the affected area and smoothly applied to the skin. The operator then presses the area of ​​the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 with the palm of their hand to ensure complete adherence to the skin texture and no air bubbles remaining.

[0046] Step S2: Donning Procedure. After applying the film, place the entire protective garment body 1, including the drug delivery chamber assembly 2 and the needleless connector port 3, over the patient's ankle. The operator needs to adjust the position of the protective garment to ensure that the hollow area 13 on the inside of the protective garment corresponds exactly to the applied controlled-release membrane patch 4, that is, to ensure that the projection area of ​​the gel reservoir 21 is completely aligned with the controlled-release membrane patch 4. Subsequently, tighten and adhere the elastic straps 12 at both ends of the main sleeve 11 until the protective garment forms a stable wrap around the ankle, neither too tight nor too loose.

[0047] Step S3: Injection Procedure. After proper fitting and securing, the medical staff holds the needleless Luer-lock syringe containing the active gel. Align the syringe tip with the top interface of the needleless connector port 3, apply downward pressure to pierce the internal self-sealing septum and allow it to lock into the Luer connector. Once the connection is confirmed to be secure, smoothly and slowly push the plunger to completely inject a measured amount of active gel into the transparent gel reservoir 21 through the drug delivery chamber inlet 22. After injection, twist the syringe in the opposite direction and pull it out; the needleless connector port 3 will automatically return to a sealed state. At this point, the transparent gel reservoir 21 can be observed gradually filling with the drug-containing gel substance.

[0048] Step S4: Release and Repair Steps. After drug injection, the treatment enters the automatically initiated release phase. The active gel within the gel reservoir 21 may slightly soften or swell under body temperature, generating osmotic pressure. Driven by the concentration gradient, the drug components in the gel begin to diffuse outwards. When drug molecules come into contact with the controlled-release membrane patch 4, only drug molecules or drug-loaded nanoparticles with a diameter smaller than micrometers can pass through and continue to penetrate deeper into the skin. Since the number and size of the micropores are constant, the drug will continuously pass through the controlled-release membrane patch 4 at a controlled and relatively constant rate, reaching the deep Achilles tendon injury tissue. At the same time, the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 effectively blocks direct contact between the external environment and the skin surface, preventing sweat from damaging the adhesive layer, and more importantly, preventing lateral leakage of the gel or drug solution from the membrane-skin interface. This closed environment ensures a high degree of local accumulation of the drug at the injury site, achieving localized high-concentration targeted penetration. In this state, patients can engage in daily slow walking or specific rehabilitation training. The physical support provided by the protective gear and the chemical repair of the medication are carried out simultaneously and can be continuously released for 12 to 24 hours to achieve a highly efficient integrated repair goal.

[0049] The technical solution described in the above-described embodiments of this application integrates the protective gear body 1 providing mechanical support, the drug delivery chamber assembly 2 for storing medication, the needle-free connector port 3 for easy medication replenishment, the controlled-release membrane patch 4 for controlling the release rate, and the annular adhesive sealing layer 5 to ensure a locally sealed environment, thus achieving an organic combination of physical fixation and local targeted drug delivery. Its beneficial effects are that it not only provides stable mechanical protection to the injured site through the protective gear body 1, but also achieves continuous and controllable drug release at the injured site through the closed-loop drug delivery system composed of the drug delivery chamber assembly 2, the controlled-release membrane patch 4, and the annular adhesive sealing layer 5, significantly improving treatment efficacy and patient compliance, while also ensuring safe and convenient operation.

[0050] Obviously, the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries, characterized in that, The components include the protective gear body (1), the drug delivery chamber assembly (2), the needleless connector port (3), the controlled-release membrane patch (4), and the annular adhesive sealing layer (5), among which, The dosing chamber assembly (2) is located on the Achilles tendon side inside the protective gear body (1); The needleless connector port (3) is located on the outside of the protective gear body (1) and is connected to the drug delivery chamber assembly (2); The controlled-release membrane patch (4) is attached to the inside of the protective gear body (1) and covers the drug delivery chamber assembly (2). The annular adhesive sealing layer (5) is disposed between the controlled-release membrane patch (4) and the protective gear body (1); The drug delivery chamber assembly (2) is used to load the active gel, and the controlled-release membrane patch (4) is used to control the rate at which the active gel penetrates into the soft tissue.

2. The integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protective gear body (1) includes a main sleeve (11) made of high-elastic nylon material and elastic straps (12) set at the upper and lower ends of the main sleeve (11). The main sleeve (11) is in the shape of a sock that wraps around the ankle joint, and the inner side has a hollow area (13) corresponding to the lower end of the tibia and the calcaneus.

3. The integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to claim 2, characterized in that, The dosing chamber assembly (2) includes a transparent gel reservoir (21) and a dosing chamber inlet (22) sealed and fixed to the outer surface of the gel reservoir (21). The gel reservoir (21) is embedded in the preset mounting position of the main sleeve (11), and the outer surface of the gel reservoir (21) is tightly engaged and fixed with the inner wall of the main sleeve (11) around the hollow area (13). The dosing chamber inlet (22) is exposed outside the main sleeve (11) through an opening on the main sleeve (11).

4. The integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the needleless connector port (3) is detachably connected to the dosing chamber inlet (22) via a Luer connector structure, and the end face of the needleless connector port (3) is flush with the outer surface of the main sleeve (11).

5. The integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controlled-release membrane patch (4) is a medical semi-permeable membrane, and the surface of the controlled-release membrane patch (4) facing the drug delivery chamber assembly (2) is densely covered with micron-sized drug permeation micropores, the diameter of which is 1μm-50μm.

6. The integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries according to claim 2, characterized in that, The annular adhesive sealing layer (5) is a medical silicone sealing ring. The outer edge of the annular adhesive sealing layer (5) is bonded to the inner wall of the main sleeve (11), and the inner edge is bonded to the outer periphery of the controlled-release membrane patch (4), which is used to press the controlled-release membrane patch (4) tightly against the skin surface of the affected area.

7. A method of using an integrated targeted repair brace for sports soft tissue injuries as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Applying the film, the controlled-release film patch (4) coated with the annular adhesive sealing layer (5) is applied to the Achilles tendon injury site; S2: Wearing step, put the protective gear body (1) with the drug delivery chamber assembly (2) on the ankle and lock it with the elastic strap (12); S3: Injection step, a quantitative amount of active gel is injected into the gel reservoir (21) through the needleless connector port (3) via the drug filling chamber inlet (22); S4: Release step, the active gel in the gel reservoir (21) penetrates into the Achilles tendon tissue through the controlled-release membrane patch (4), and under the action of the annular adhesive sealing layer (5), a high concentration of drug is maintained locally, achieving sustained-release treatment for 12-24 hours.

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