Bioabsorbable Mesh for Musculoskeletal Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biocompatible mesh materials are inadequate for musculoskeletal trauma and orthopedic reconstruction due to their rigidity or flexibility, failing to meet the strength requirements for various applications.
Innovation Solution
Development of implantable devices using bioabsorbable and non-bioabsorbable mesh materials in various forms, such as woven, knitted, braided, or interlocking configurations, combined with other materials and pharmaceutical agents, to create structures with tailored strength and properties for specific medical applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional biocompatible mesh materials are used for musculoskeletal repair, then the material is flexible and biocompatible, but it lacks sufficient strength for skeletal applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite mesh structures combining different materials (e.g., PTFE with other polymers, bioabsorbable with non-bioabsorbable materials) to achieve both high strength for skeletal support and appropriate flexibility for tissue integration. The composite nature allows optimization of mechanical properties while maintaining biocompatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh structure incorporates varying material properties in different regions - denser weaving or reinforced strands in areas requiring higher strength, and more open or flexible regions where tissue integration and flexibility are prioritized. This local variation resolves the contradiction between overall strength requirements and local flexibility needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If rigid hardware devices are used for musculoskeletal repair, then the device provides sufficient strength, but it lacks tissue integration capability and remains permanently foreign to the body
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh structure inherently provides porosity and surface area for tissue ingrowth and integration. The interconnected pores allow vascularization and cellular infiltration, enabling the implant to become biologically integrated rather than remaining a permanent foreign body, while the mesh framework maintains structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes bioabsorbable materials that change their mechanical properties over time - providing high initial strength to support healing, then gradually degrading as tissue regenerates. This temporal parameter change allows the implant to transition from a load-bearing structure to an integrated biological tissue, resolving the contradiction between initial strength requirements and long-term integration.
3Strength
If mesh materials are used for structural support, then the material provides flexibility, but it cannot meet the strength requirements for load-bearing applications
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh structure provides dynamic mechanical properties - flexible during normal physiological movement but capable of withstanding acute load-bearing events. The woven or braided configuration allows the structure to deform elastically under load while maintaining integrity, providing both flexibility for movement and strength for durability.
Data Source
AI summary
Biocompatible mesh materials are employed to make implants for repairing or replacing a bone or for soft tissue repair. The mesh materials can be comprised of bioabsorbable materials, non-bioabsorbable materials or bioabsorbable and non-bioabsorbable materials. Pharmaceutical actives, bone growth enhancers and the like can be combined with the implants.