Biodegradable Polymeric Stent for Ostial Patency

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ostial stents often require surgical removal, which can cause tissue damage and leave foreign materials in the body, and there is a need for stents that can maintain fluid flow and structural integrity in sinus cavities without adverse reactions.

Innovation Solution

A polymeric stent with a dense matrix or foam structure, featuring a lumen and biodegradable polymer layers that swell in a moist environment to secure and maintain ostial patency, while degrading naturally to avoid long-term persistence in the body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional ostial stents are used to maintain fluid flow, then structural integrity and patency are improved, but surgical removal is required which causes tissue damage and leaves foreign materials in the body

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveostial patency maintenanceVSAvoidtissue damage during removal

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is designed as a biodegradable, disposable implant that performs its function and then naturally degrades in the body, eliminating the need for surgical removal. The polymer material is selected to maintain structural integrity during the required period and then safely decompose, avoiding tissue damage associated with removal while maintaining reliable ostial patency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The stent utilizes changes in polymer degradation parameters over time. The material transitions from a structurally intact state during the functional period to a degrading state that allows natural absorption. This parameter change enables the stent to maintain patency when needed and then safely disappear from the body without surgical intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If permanent stents are used to maintain fluid flow, then structural integrity is improved, but adverse reactions and foreign body responses increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidadverse reactions

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stent is designed as a biodegradable, disposable implant that performs its function and then naturally degrades in the body, eliminating the need for surgical removal. The polymer material is selected to maintain structural integrity during the required period and then safely decompose, avoiding tissue damage associated with removal while maintaining reliable ostial patency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The biodegradable property, which initially might be seen as a weakness, is converted into a benefit by allowing the stent to naturally disappear from the body after serving its purpose. This eliminates long-term foreign body responses and adverse reactions associated with permanent implants, while still providing the necessary structural integrity during the functional period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If biodegradable polymer is used to avoid long-term persistence, then adverse reactions are reduced, but structural integrity over time is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadverse reactionsVSAvoidstructural integrity over time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The stent utilizes changes in polymer degradation parameters over time. The material transitions from a structurally intact state during the functional period to a degrading state that allows natural absorption. This parameter change enables the stent to maintain patency when needed and then safely disappear from the body without surgical intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The stent employs composite material structures that combine polymers with different degradation rates and mechanical properties. This allows the outer layers to degrade faster, reducing adverse reactions, while inner layers maintain structural integrity longer, ensuring adequate support during the functional period before complete degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 stent effectively maintains ostial patency for up to thirty days, reduces tissue damage during removal, and minimizes the risk of adverse reactions by degrading into non-harmful components, providing a low-cost, efficient solution for sinus cavity treatments.

Implementation Method 1

Aqueous-swellable biocompatible and biodegradable polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSwelling: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

biodegradable polymer... degrading naturally to avoid long-term persistence in the body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBiodegradation: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentUS10265201B2Degradeable ostial stent

Publication Date: 2019.04.23 HEMOSTASIS LLC

AI summary

A polymeric stent having a length, an outer surface and a cross-section. A lumen passes through the entire length, the lumen having a surface forming an equivalent diameter in the polymeric stent. The polymeric stent includes a first aqueous-swellable, biocompatible and biodegradable composition (e.g., polymer) having a thickness. The aqueous-swellable and biodegradable polymer retaining structural integrity for at least 1 hours up to thirty days when swollen and kept moist by a moist aqueous environment. Barrier layers of biodegradable polymer(s) may be used to prevent migration of liquids into the lumen.