Adjustable Prosthetic Implant Delivery Device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for inserting prosthetic implants, such as breast implants, through small incisions are time-consuming and risky, leading to increased infection risk, anesthesia complications, and potential damage to the implant or delivery device due to manual manipulation and the need for adjustable funnels that can be costly and prone to failure.
Innovation Solution
A flexible sheet with adjustable fasteners forms a distal opening of varying sizes, allowing for secure and controlled insertion of implants without direct contact, using a system of zip-type, snap, or adhesive fasteners to ensure the implant is transferred efficiently and safely through a controlled distal opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If manual manipulation of the implant is used to guide it through the incision, then the implant can be inserted through a small incision, but the surgical time increases and the risk of infection and implant damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a delivery device as an intermediary tool between the surgeon's hands and the implant. This device includes a delivery catheter with a distal opening that can be adjusted to different sizes, allowing the implant to be pushed through the incision in a controlled manner without direct manual manipulation, thereby reducing surgical time and infection risk while maintaining the benefit of small incision size
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery device incorporates a dynamic distal opening that can be adjusted to different sizes using fasteners. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the opening size to be optimized for each specific implant and incision combination, enabling efficient implant passage through small incisions without requiring excessive surgical time or force
2Ease of operation
If a flexible tapered funnel is used to aid in sliding the implant through the incision, then the implant transfer is facilitated, but the device may fail due to seam bursting, tears, or accidental cuts during trimming
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is segmented into distinct components including a delivery catheter, fasteners, and an implant pouch. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function reliably - the catheter provides structural integrity, the fasteners enable controlled opening adjustment, and the pouch protects the implant. The segmented design eliminates the reliability issues of single-piece funnels that are prone to seam bursting and accidental cuts
Solution Approach 2:
The distal opening of the delivery catheter is designed to be dynamically adjustable through the use of fasteners that can be positioned at different locations. This dynamic adjustment capability facilitates easy implant transfer by allowing the opening size to be optimized for each procedure, while the adjustable nature prevents the device failure issues associated with fixed-size funnels that require trimming
3Adaptability or versatility
If the distal opening size is adjusted by cutting the sleeve, then different size implants can be accommodated, but errors in sizing may result in having to discard the funnel and add to procedure cost
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device incorporates a dynamic distal opening that can be adjusted to different sizes through the use of fasteners. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the same device to accommodate implants of various sizes without requiring trimming or cutting. The fasteners can be positioned at different locations on the delivery catheter to create openings of different diameters, providing adaptability to different implant sizes while eliminating the risk of sizing errors that would require discarding the device
Solution Approach 2:
The device is pre-configured with multiple fasteners at predetermined locations on the delivery catheter, allowing the surgeon to select and apply the appropriate fastener for the specific implant size before the procedure begins. This preliminary preparation of multiple fastener options eliminates the need for intra-procedural trimming and prevents sizing errors, as the correct fastener position is selected in advance based on the implant dimensions
Data Source
AI summary
A prosthetic implant transfer device is provided that may be used to insert a prosthetic implant through a surgical opening. In some embodiments, the device may comprise a flexible sheet of material that may be formed into an elongated hollow structure. The flexible sheet of material includes a plurality of fasteners that may be selected and engaged to define a desired size distal opening.