Bio-absorbable Impermeable Stent for Anastomosis Leakage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical anastomosis methods in the gastrointestinal tract are prone to leakage, leading to complications such as contamination and sepsis, despite advances in minimally invasive procedures, and existing alternatives like ostomy procedures are unattractive due to infection risks and lifestyle restrictions.
Innovation Solution
The use of an impermeable stent comprising a scaffold and sealant, such as a membrane and/or adhesive, made from biocompatible materials that are bio-absorbable and/or degradable, to prevent leakage and promote healing during the anastomosis process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical anastomosis methods are used to connect intestinal ends, then the procedure can be performed with standard surgical techniques, but leakage at the anastomosis site occurs leading to contamination and sepsis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an impermeable stent as an intermediary device placed within the lumen at the anastomosis site. This stent acts as a mediator that provides internal support and prevents leakage from the inside, addressing the fundamental reliability issue of traditional anastomosis methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The impermeable stent is constructed with flexible shell structures and thin film membranes that conform to the lumen geometry while providing leakage prevention. These flexible barriers maintain structural integrity without rigid constraints, allowing natural tissue movement while preventing harmful leakage.
2Reliability
If an impermeable stent with scaffold and sealant is used to prevent leakage, then anastomosis reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional components into a single integrated impermeable stent structure. The scaffold, sealant, and impermeable membrane are combined into one device that performs structural support, sealing, and leakage prevention simultaneously, reducing the need for multiple separate surgical interventions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent utilizes composite material structures combining scaffold materials with sealant coatings and impermeable membrane layers. This composite approach provides both structural integrity and leakage prevention properties within a single device, managing complexity through material integration rather than mechanical assembly.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If biocompatible and bio-absorbable materials are used for the stent, then long-term complications and removal procedures are avoided, but material selection and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes in material properties, specifically designing the stent with bio-absorbable characteristics that change over time. The materials are selected to provide structural integrity initially, then gradually degrade and absorb into the tissue, eliminating the need for removal procedures and reducing long-term complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The impermeable stent is designed as a temporary, disposable device that fulfills its leakage prevention function during the critical healing period, then degrades and is absorbed by the body. This approach eliminates long-term foreign body complications and removal procedures, treating the stent as a short-lived protective element rather than a permanent implant.
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
The impermeable stent effectively inhibits leakage at the anastomosis site, reduces the risk of complications, and facilitates healing, while being absorbable, thus avoiding the need for mechanical removal and minimizing scarring and constrictions.
Implementation Method 1
The scaffold, membrane and/or adhesive comprise biocompatible materials suitable for bio-absorption and/or degradation
Implementation Method 2
The scaffold, membrane and/or adhesive comprise biocompatible materials suitable for bio-absorption and/or degradation
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for anastomosis of a lumen according to various aspects of the present invention operate in conjunction with an impermeable stent. The impermeable stent may comprise a scaffold and, if needed, a sealant, such as a membrane and/or adhesive. In one embodiment, the scaffold, membrane and/or adhesive comprise biocompatible materials suitable for bio-absorption and/or degradation.