Bioabsorbable Nasal Implants for Lateral Wall Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for addressing Nasal Valve Collapse (NVC) and Lateral Wall Insufficiency (LWI) are invasive, have significant cosmetic impacts, and often result in tissue rejection and discomfort due to the use of synthetic materials.
Innovation Solution
The development of nasal implants with a flexible and compressible design, made from bioabsorbable materials, which can be delivered using minimally invasive tools and methods, providing robust mechanical support to the nasal lateral wall without causing significant cosmetic issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If robust mechanical implants (titanium or synthetic polymer) are used to provide structural support to the nasal lateral wall, then the mechanical strength and support capability are improved, but tissue rejection, foreign body sensation, pain, and discomfort occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from non-absorbable synthetic materials (titanium, silicone, PGA, PDS) to bioabsorbable polymers that degrade over time. This parameter change allows the implant to provide initial robust mechanical support while gradually being absorbed by the body, eliminating long-term foreign body reactions, tissue rejection, and discomfort associated with permanent synthetic materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategies by combining bioabsorbable polymer materials with specific structural designs. The implants use materials like poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and poly-D,L-lactic acid (PDLA) that provide initial mechanical strength comparable to titanium, while their bioabsorbable nature eliminates the harmful effects of permanent synthetic materials. The composite approach balances mechanical performance with biocompatibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If pre-shaped permanent synthetic polymer implants are used to support the nasal lateral wall, then the structural integrity is improved, but cosmetic effects and foreign body sensation are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temporal parameter of the implant material from permanent to temporarily persistent. The bioabsorbable polymers maintain structural integrity for the critical healing period (months to years) and then gradually degrade, allowing the body to naturally remodel. This eliminates the permanent foreign body sensation and undesirable cosmetic effects associated with permanent synthetic implants while maintaining structural support when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the discarding principle by designing implants that are intentionally temporary. The bioabsorbable materials fulfill their structural support function during the critical healing and remodeling phase, then gradually degrade and are absorbed by the body. This eliminates the need for permanent foreign materials that cause cosmetic issues and foreign body sensation, as the implant is naturally discarded after serving its purpose.
3Strength
If invasive surgical techniques (alar batten grafts, spreader grafts) are used to address nasal valve collapse, then the mechanical support is improved, but the cosmetic impact and surgical complexity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the most problematic aspects of traditional surgical techniques by removing the need for extensive harvesting sites (rib, ear, septum) and complex grafting procedures. The implant is a self-contained device that can be delivered through minimally invasive techniques, eliminating the invasive surgical pathways, multiple incisions, and complex graft manipulation required by traditional alar batten and spreader graft procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary device that simplifies the surgical process. Rather than requiring the surgeon to perform complex graft harvesting, shaping, and placement procedures, the implant serves as a pre-fabricated intermediary structure that can be delivered through a simplified minimally invasive procedure. This intermediary device bridges the gap between the need for robust mechanical support and the desire for simple, minimally invasive surgery.
Data Source
AI summary
Nasal implants are provided that have a planar type profile with open spaces through portions of the planar type profile. The nasal implant can be compressible along one or more dimensions of the nasal implant, such as the width and length of the planar type profile. Delivery tools for deploying the nasal implants within the nasal tissue are also provided. Methods for deploying the nasal implants within the nasal tissue of the patient are also provided.