Barbed Suture Degradation Control via Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional degradable sutures have fixed degradation rates that may not align with the optimal healing times for various surgical procedures, leading to either excessive strength retention or premature degradation, which can limit their application in procedures requiring specific tensile properties and wound healing timelines.

Innovation Solution

A biodegradable barbed suture with adjustable degradation rates is created by controlling the cooling process after barb formation, allowing for the formation of amorphous or crystalline regions, thereby tailoring the degradation time from 5% to 75% and maintaining desired tensile properties, using materials like glycolide-trimethylene carbonate copolymers and lactide-glycolide copolymers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional degradable sutures with fixed degradation rates are used, then the suture material provides consistent tensile strength, but the degradation time cannot be adjusted to match different wound healing timelines

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of degradation rateVSAvoidpredictability of degradation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical and chemical properties of the suture material through controlled cooling rates after barb formation. By varying cooling rates, the patent creates different crystalline structures and degradation profiles in the polymer material, enabling adjustment of degradation time from 5% to 75% while maintaining reliable predictable degradation through controlled parameters

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite materials by creating sutures with heterogeneous polymer structures containing both amorphous and crystalline regions. This composite structure at the micro-level allows different parts of the suture to degrade at different rates, providing overall adaptability in degradation timing while maintaining structural reliability during the healing period

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If degradable sutures with longer degradation times are used, then increased tensile strength is achieved, but the suture degrades too slowly for procedures requiring faster healing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetensile strengthVSAvoiddegradation time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating regions with different degradation characteristics within the suture structure. The barb regions and body regions have different cooling histories and thus different crystalline structures, allowing the suture to maintain strength where needed while enabling controlled degradation elsewhere to match procedural requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the degradation rate adjustable rather than fixed. Through controlled cooling processes, the suture can be tailored to exhibit slow degradation for high-strength applications or faster degradation for procedures requiring quicker healing, providing dynamic adaptability to different surgical needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Duration of action of moving object

If degradable sutures with shorter degradation times are used, then faster wound healing is supported, but the suture loses tensile strength too early

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedegradation timeVSAvoidtensile strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming barbs on the suture during manufacturing with specific orientations and angles. This preliminary structuring ensures that even as the material degrades faster, the mechanical interlocking provided by the pre-formed barbs maintains tensile strength until the wound heals, allowing shorter degradation times without strength loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 suture maintains structural integrity for a predetermined period while ensuring complete degradation within a reasonable time frame, suitable for cosmetic, laparoscopic, and endoscopic procedures, allowing for customized healing and tissue repair.

Implementation Method 1

controlling the cooling process after barb formation, allowing for the formation of amorphous or crystalline regions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCrystallisation: Crystallisation

Implementation Method 2

The machining process creates heated regions on the suture. The rate of cooling will affect polymer morphology in the localized, previously heated regions.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS8353931B2Long term bioabsorbable barbed sutures

Publication Date: 2013.01.15 COVIDIEN LP

AI summary

Barbed surgical sutures and a method of forming a barbed surgical suture from a degradable material are provided having degradation rates tailored to provide the suture with a desired mass loss profile.