Barbed Suture With Anchor For Tissue Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical sutures lack effective mechanisms to securely anchor tissue in one direction while allowing easy passage in the opposite direction, leading to instability and potential failure in wound closure and tissue approximation.
Innovation Solution
Development of a barbed suture with a pointed end and a looped anchor that allows movement in one direction while resisting movement in the opposite direction, featuring a helical pattern of barbs with specific geometric characteristics and a collapsible anchor for secure tissue engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional suture is used, then the suture can be easily passed through tissue, but it lacks the ability to securely anchor tissue in one direction
Solution Approach 1:
The suture is segmented into multiple functional zones: a pointed insertion end for easy penetration, a mid-section with unidirectional barbs for tissue anchoring, and a looped anchor end for securing the suture. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without compromising others.
Solution Approach 2:
The barbs are designed with asymmetric geometry, having a sharp leading edge facing the direction of intended movement and a broader base facing the opposite direction. This asymmetry creates a ratchet-like mechanism that permits passage in one direction while resisting movement in the opposite direction, achieving secure anchoring without compromising ease of insertion.
2Strength
If a barbed suture is used to prevent reverse movement, then tissue holding strength is improved, but the suture resistance to movement in the direction of insertion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barbs are positioned only in the mid-section of the suture, not along the entire length. The pointed insertion end remains smooth and barb-free, creating a localized quality difference that allows easy penetration at the insertion point while providing strong anchoring in the mid-section where the barbs engage the tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The pointed end of the suture is designed to preliminarily penetrate the tissue before the barbed section engages. This preliminary action of the pointed end opens a pathway through the tissue, reducing the force required for the barbed section to pass through and engage the tissue subsequently.
3Reliability
If the anchor is made larger for better tissue engagement, then anchoring security is improved, but the device complexity and insertion difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is designed with collapsible legs that can be compressed to a small size for easy insertion through the needle and tissue. Once deployed, the legs expand outward to engage the tissue securely. This dynamic transformation allows the anchor to achieve large engagement size without proportionally increasing insertion complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible anchor legs are nested within each other during the insertion phase, allowing the anchor to pass through the needle and tissue with minimal profile. After insertion, the legs unfold and expand outward, achieving secure tissue engagement without requiring a complex large-sized structure during insertion.
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 barbed suture effectively secures tissue by allowing easy insertion and resistance to reverse movement, enhancing wound closure and tissue approximation with improved holding strength and stability.
Implementation Method 1
the barbs yield toward the suture body during movement of the suture through the tissue in the direction of movement of the pointed end and the barbs resist movement of the suture through the tissue in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the pointed end
Data Source
AI summary
A barbed suture including a body with barbs on the periphery, a pointed end, and an anchor at one end to resist movement of the suture in the direction of the pointed end is provided. One or more limbs on the anchor may be provided, which may be arcuate, of varying lengths, and of varying distribution about the periphery of the suture body. Other anchor designs are provided. Methods of placing single-directional and bi-directional barbed sutures to approximate the tissue on each side of a wound and to position and support tissue in the absence of a wound, as in cosmetic surgery, are provided, and may include terminal J-stitches or S-stitches. Methods of placement may be made with sharp, pointed ends, which may be needles, or insertion devices. Sinusoidal patterns of sutures that have amplitudes generally perpendicular to the resultant holding force of the suture are provided.