Medical Device Anchor System for Suture-Free Catheter Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for securing medical instruments like catheters to the skin involve adhesives or sutures, which can cause tissue damage and are not always secure.
Innovation Solution
A medical device anchor system featuring an anchor device with a gripping channel and subcutaneous anchor elements that securely engage the catheter without compressing it, allowing for secure positioning without adhesives or sutures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive tape or sutures are used to secure the catheter to the skin, then the catheter can be anchored in place, but tissue damage occurs and the method is not always secure
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor device is divided into separate functional components: a body portion for skin engagement and a distal portion for catheter engagement. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while avoiding the tissue damage associated with conventional sutures and adhesives.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor device acts as an intermediary between the catheter and the skin, distributing the anchoring force through a larger surface area contact zone rather than concentrating it at single points (as with sutures) or relying on chemical adhesion (as with adhesive tape).
2Reliability
If a gripping channel is designed to frictionally engage the medical instrument, then secure engagement is achieved, but the channel shape must be precisely different from the instrument cross-section
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping channel is designed with specific local geometric characteristics that provide frictional engagement. The channel's cross-sectional shape is deliberately made different from the instrument's cross-section to create optimal frictional contact without requiring complex overall device geometry.
3Reliability
If subcutaneous anchor elements are deployed to secure the device, then reliable anchoring is achieved, but the anchor elements must be shaped to reduce tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor elements feature rounded or curved geometries rather than sharp edges. This curvature distributes the mechanical stress over a larger area of surrounding tissue, reducing localized damage while maintaining secure anchoring in the subcutaneous region.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The anchor device effectively secures medical instruments like catheters in place, reducing the risk of tissue damage and providing a secure, adhesive-free solution for medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The gripping channel can be shaped in a manner that provides a secure engagement with the medical instrument
Implementation Method 2
the portion of each subcutaneous anchor element that is configured to reside under the skin layer can have a generally longitudinally straight shape and a dull or otherwise bulbous tip so as to anchor the remaining external portion of the anchor device
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of a medical device anchor system include an anchor device that receives a catheter (or other medical instrument) and secures the catheter in place relative to a skin penetration point. In some embodiments, the anchor device can secure the catheter in an operative position relative to the skin without the use of sutures or skin tapes. In particular embodiments, the anchor device can be adjusted to a folded condition so that subcutaneous anchors are partially rotated prior to removal from the skin penetration point.