Bioabsorbable Anti-adhesion Membrane with Surface Projections

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional anti-adhesion membranes are prone to breaking when rolled into thin tubes due to brittleness and lack of stiffness, making them difficult to handle and introduce through a trocar without damage.

Innovation Solution

An anti-adhesion membrane with a bioabsorbable film featuring projections and recesses, such as those made from gelatin or hyaluronic acid and carboxymethyl cellulose, which provides flexibility and moderate stiffness, allowing it to be rolled into a thin tube and passed through a trocar without damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the thickness of anti-adhesion membranes is reduced to provide flexibility, then the membrane can be rolled up more easily, but the strength and stiffness are reduced causing the membrane to wrinkle and deform

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidstrength and stiffness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies this principle by using a thin film structure (50-200 μm thickness) made of bioabsorbable materials that inherently provides flexibility while maintaining sufficient strength through material selection and surface modification rather than increasing thickness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes physical parameters including film thickness (50-200 μm), surface energy (30-70 mN/m), and surface roughness (Ra: 0.1-10 μm) to achieve the optimal balance between flexibility and strength, allowing the membrane to be rolled without damage while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the thickness of anti-adhesion membranes is reduced to provide flexibility, then the membrane can be rolled up more easily, but the membrane becomes difficult to handle due to wrinkling and static electricity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidease of handling
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes surface energy to 30-70 mN/m and surface roughness (Ra: 0.1-10 μm) to reduce static electricity accumulation and wrinkling, making thin flexible membranes easier to handle during surgical procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical thickness control with surface property control (surface energy and roughness) to manage static electricity and handling characteristics, enabling thin films to be handled as easily as thicker membranes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If conventional anti-adhesion membranes are rolled up into thin tubes, then they can be introduced through a trocar, but the membranes break due to brittleness and lack of flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintroducibility through trocarVSAvoidresistance to breaking
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses flexible thin films (50-200 μm) that can be rolled into compact tubes for trocar introduction while maintaining sufficient strength to prevent breaking during insertion and deployment in the body

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the combination of thickness (50-200 μm), surface energy (30-70 mN/m), and surface roughness (Ra: 0.1-10 μm) to achieve the right balance between flexibility for rolling and strength for preventing breakage during surgical procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2740496B1Anti-adhesion membrane
Publication Date: 2017.09.13 GUNZE LTD
  • EP2740496B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP2740496B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~3(b)
  • EP2740496B1 patent drawingFigure 4(a)~5

AI summary

The present invention provides anti-adhesion membranes that can be readily rolled up into thin tubes and introduced into the body through a trocar without damage, and additionally have moderate stiffness, and therefore are easy to handle. The present invention provides an anti-adhesion membrane including a film made of a bioabsorbable material, the film being provided with projections and recesses.