Laparoscopic Fastener Delivery with Stabilizing Insertion Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laparoscopic hernia mesh fixation techniques face challenges with fasteners not fully closing or orienting correctly, leading to additional foreign objects in the body and potential need for costly and painful procedure re-do's.
Innovation Solution
A fastening device with coordinated insertion members, including biased prongs and a curvature, ensures precise closure and locking of fasteners by stabilizing them during delivery and retraction, maintaining direct mechanical control until the fastener is locked in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fastening devices are used to deliver fasteners through laparoscopic incision, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the fasteners do not always fully close properly or orient correctly, leading to failed fastening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism consisting of insertion members with biased prongs that act as mediators between the delivery device and the fastener. These prongs engage with the fastener's loop and hook, providing mechanical control and stabilization during the fastening process, ensuring proper closure and orientation that traditional direct delivery methods cannot achieve
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion members perform preliminary actions by pre-positioning and stabilizing the fastener components (loop and hook) before the actual fastening occurs. The biased prongs are pre-configured to engage the fastener elements and maintain their proper alignment and orientation throughout the delivery process, preventing misalignment before it can occur
2Reliability
If additional fasteners are deployed to compensate for misfires, then coverage is improved, but patient pain increases due to overabundance of foreign objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that allow the surgeon to verify fastener deployment status in real-time. The insertion members provide tactile and visual feedback confirming proper fastener closure and locking, enabling immediate detection of successful fastening without needing to deploy additional fasteners as compensation
3Productivity
If the surgeon does not realize fasteners have failed to fasten, then the procedure continues, but the entire procedure requires a do-over
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual indicators (color changes or other observable markers) on the fastener or insertion members that change state to indicate successful fastening. This provides immediate visual feedback to the surgeon, eliminating uncertainty about fastening status and preventing the need for procedure repetition
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback through the insertion members that indicate whether the fastener has properly closed and locked. This immediate feedback loop prevents loss of information about fastening status, allowing the surgeon to confirm successful deployment before proceeding
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
Ensures all fasteners are properly closed and locked in the correct position, reducing the need for additional fasteners and minimizing patient pain and costly re-do procedures.
Implementation Method 1
One of the insertion members includes a pair of biased prongs that are held together when they are pushed into a recess at an end of the fastener
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a fastening device for laparoscopic hernia repair. The coordinated operation of two insertion members stabilizes a fastener during closure and locking to ensure that the fastener is locked in the intended location before the device releases from the fastener. One of the insertion members includes a pair of prongs that exhibit a closed configuration when they are disposed in a recess at an end of the fastener. The fastener has a hook at one end and a loop at the other end. The insertion members push the fastener out from the device and through the tissue. A curvature in at least one of the insertion members pushes the hook through the loop all while the prongs are in the recess in the fastener, thereby stabilizing the fastener with respect to the device.