Bioresorbable Suture Thread with Melted Core Bonding

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional braided suture threads suffer from separation at cut ends and points of torsional bending, leading to lower knot security and inefficient production processes.

Innovation Solution

A bioabsorbable suture thread is created by winding higher-melting bioabsorbable threads around a core thread made of a lower-melting bioabsorbable component, with the core thread being melted through heat treatment to bond with the winding threads, enhancing flexibility, tensile strength, and knot security while improving production efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a braided suture thread is used to achieve high flexibility and tensile strength, then the thread becomes separated at cut ends and points of torsional bending

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetensile strengthVSAvoidthread separation resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the core thread from the braided structure and melts it to form a bonding matrix that holds the winding threads together. This eliminates the separation problem at cut ends and torsional bending points while maintaining the braided configuration's mechanical properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The core thread undergoes a phase transition from solid to molten state through heat treatment, then solidifies to form a bonding matrix. This phase change enables the core thread to transition from a structural element to a bonding agent, securing the winding threads without requiring complex braiding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

2Ease of operation

If a braided suture thread is used to achieve high flexibility, then the thread structure becomes complex requiring many production steps

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidproduction process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical braiding process with a thermal bonding process. Instead of mechanically interweaving multiple threads in complex patterns, the core thread is melted to chemically/physically bond the winding threads, significantly simplifying the production process while maintaining flexibility.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical state parameter of the core thread from solid to molten and back to solid through controlled heat treatment. This parameter change enables a different bonding mechanism that simplifies the overall structure formation process while preserving the desired flexibility characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If the core thread melting point is too low (below 50°C), then the core thread runs off during production steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecore thread processabilityVSAvoidcore thread retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention selects a core thread material with a melting point in the optimal range of 50-200°C. This parameter selection ensures the core thread remains stable during production handling but can be reliably melted during the bonding process, achieving both processability and retention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 resulting suture thread maintains its structure without untwisting at cut ends or torsional bending, offers high knot security, and significantly enhances production efficiency compared to traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

The core thread is molten by heat treatment so that the core thread plays a role as a bonding resin for bonding the core thread to the winding threads

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

melting the core thread by heat treatment to bond the core thread to the winding threads

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat treatment: Heat Treatment

Data Source

PatentEP2687238B1Bioresorbable suture thread and production method for bioresorbable suture thread
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 GUNZE LTD
  • EP2687238B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2687238B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4(b)
  • EP2687238B1 patent drawingFigure 5(a)~5(b)

AI summary

An feature of the present invention is to provide a bioabsorbable suture thread that has high flexibility and high tensile and knot strengths, maintains its figure without untwisting a plurality of threads even at a cut end or a point of torsional bending, and is excellent in knot security and production efficiency. The bioabsorbable suture thread of the present invention comprises: a core thread made of a bioabsorbable lower-melting component; and a plurality of winding threads made of a bioabsorbable higher-melting component, the winding threads being wound around the core thread, wherein the bioabsorbable suture thread has a structure in which the core thread molten by heat treatment is bonded to the winding threads.