Bi-directional Retainer Sutures for Dynamic Tissue Anchoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing self-retaining sutures have limitations, including the need for a predetermined transition segment and potential inefficiencies in deploying bi-directional retainers, which can complicate surgical procedures and require precise alignment during knotless tissue approximation.
Innovation Solution
The development of bi-directional self-retaining sutures with retainers that can be deployed in either direction and collapse in a controlled manner, allowing for dynamic adjustment of retainer orientation during surgery, eliminating the need for a transitional segment and enabling flexible deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bi-directional retainers are used with a predetermined transition segment, then the suture can resist movement in both directions, but the surgical procedure becomes more complex and requires precise alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer configuration is made dynamic by allowing the surgeon to choose the direction of deployment at the time of surgery. The suture can be deployed in either direction without requiring a predetermined transition segment, enabling flexible adaptation to surgical needs while maintaining bidirectional anchoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The suture is divided into multiple segments with retainers distributed along its length. Each segment can independently engage tissue in either direction, eliminating the need for a centralized transition segment and allowing flexible configuration during deployment.
2Reliability
If retainers are oriented in fixed directions along the suture, then anchoring is effective, but the suture requires a transitional segment to reverse direction which complicates deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The deployment process is made dynamic by allowing the surgeon to select the initial direction of insertion based on surgical conditions. The retainers are configured to provide effective anchoring in either direction without requiring a predetermined transition zone, enabling straightforward deployment while maintaining reliable anchoring.
3Reliability
If the suture requires precise alignment during deployment, then bidirectional anchoring is achieved, but surgical time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic adaptability by allowing the surgeon to choose the deployment direction at the time of surgery without requiring precise pre-planning or alignment. The retainer configuration naturally provides bidirectional anchoring capability regardless of the chosen direction, eliminating time-consuming alignment procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are sutures for use in a procedure applied to tissue, and methods for forming such sutures. Some sutures include bi-directional retainers, each of which can be deployed in two directions, but once deployed in one direction, resist motion in the opposite direction. Other sutures include uni-directional retainers that are conical in shape, and include tissue engaging protrusions that extend from edges and/or angled walls of the conical retainers.