Absorbable Surgical Clip With Redundant Locking for Tissue Ligation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ligation clips, particularly those made of absorbable materials, often lack sufficient strength and can wear or break, leading to unintended opening due to uneven absorption and degradation, compromising the integrity of the tissue ligation.
Innovation Solution
A surgical clip design featuring first and second leg members with curved inner surfaces and locking mechanisms, including a hook and recess interaction, and an elongate member with an undercut channel, to ensure secure closure and resistance to wear and breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If absorbable materials are used for ligation clips, then the clips are biocompatible and eventually degrade, but the clips lack sufficient strength and can wear or break, leading to unintended opening
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into multiple independent components: a hook portion on one leg member, a recess portion on the opposing leg member, an elongate member with protrusion, and a channel with undercut. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific locking function, distributing the mechanical stress and preventing single-point failure that would occur in a simple continuous clip design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs absorbable polymeric materials that combine adequate mechanical strength for surgical use with controlled degradation properties. The material composition is engineered to maintain strength throughout the healing period while eventually degrading safely, resolving the contradiction between needing sufficient strength and requiring biocompatible degradation.
2Reliability
If absorbable materials are used for ligation clips, then the clips are biocompatible, but uneven absorption and degradation can cause the ligation clip to open prior to desired tissue necrosis
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism incorporates geometric interlocking features (hook-recess and protrusion-undercut engagements) that create mechanical redundancy. This design cushions against the harmful effect of uneven material degradation by providing multiple load-bearing paths, ensuring that degradation in one area does not immediately compromise the entire ligation's integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes controlled parameter changes in the absorbable material, specifically engineering the degradation rate and mechanical properties to maintain adequate strength throughout the required ligation period. The material parameters are optimized to ensure uniform degradation characteristics that match the tissue healing timeline, preventing premature opening.
3Reliability
If multiple locking members are added to ensure secure closure, then the clip remains closed during intended use, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism merges multiple locking functions into an integrated assembly where the hook, recess, elongate member with protrusion, and channel with undercut work together as a unified system. This merging achieves high reliability through redundant locking actions while avoiding the complexity of separate, independently operated locking mechanisms. The features are formed as integral parts of the leg members, further simplifying the overall device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical clip may include first and second leg members, each having inner surfaces. The inner surface of the first leg member may be concave and the inner surface of the second leg member may be convex. The surgical clip may include a first locking member positioned on a distal end portion of the first leg member, and a second locking member positioned on a distal end portion of the second leg member. The surgical clip may also include a third locking member position between a proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the first leg member, and a fourth locking member positioned between a proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the second leg member. The first and second locking members, and the third and fourth locking members may be configured to interact to secure the surgical clip in a closed configuration.