Bioabsorbable Helical Surgical Fastener with Mandrel Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical fasteners, such as helical and screw-like structures, face challenges in efficiently securing mesh prosthetics to tissue during hernia repair procedures, particularly in providing a secure and temporary fixation that allows for tissue ingrowth and healing while being absorbable.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical fastener system featuring a barrel portion with a helical thread and a head portion, both made of bioabsorbable material, along with a mandrel and pusher element mechanism that allows for precise deployment and alignment of fasteners, enabling secure attachment and easy integration with tissue or mesh materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional non-absorbable fasteners are used, then secure permanent connection is achieved, but tissue ingrowth and healing are prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from non-absorbable to absorbable materials, changing the temporal characteristics of the fastener. The fastener provides secure connection initially, then gradually degrades and is absorbed by the body, allowing tissue ingrowth and healing to occur over time. This resolves the contradiction by making the connection security temporary rather than permanent.
2Reliability
If helical fasteners with thread forms are used, then secure fixation is achieved, but deployment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the helical thread structure on the fastener before deployment. The fastener is manufactured with the threaded configuration already in place, eliminating the need for complex real-time threading mechanisms during surgery. The deployment mechanism simply needs to advance and rotate the pre-formed fastener into the tissue, significantly simplifying the deployment process while maintaining secure fixation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If absorbable materials are used for fasteners, then tissue ingrowth is enabled, but connection strength decreases over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing the fastener system to evolve over time. The absorbable material provides initial connection strength that gradually decreases as the material degrades and is absorbed by the body. This dynamic strength profile is complemented by the progressive development of tissue ingrowth and healing, which takes over the load-bearing function. The system transitions from fastener-dependent strength to tissue-dependent strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical fastener system includes a plurality of fasteners having a throughbore with a non-circular cross section portion. The fasteners may engage with a splined mandrel that passes through the throughbore of the fasteners and rotates the fasteners relative to the mandrel to move at least one of the fasteners along the mandrel, e.g., along the mandrel's longitudinal axis. A distal end of the mandrel may be inserted into a material, such as a tissue, prosthetic or other, and a fastener may be deployed from the distal end of the mandrel while the distal end is positioned in the material.