Bioresorbable Surgical Wire with Braided Core and Flexible Sleeve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bioresorbable surgical support threads used in reconstructive surgery suffer from rapid degradation of mechanical properties, high cost, rigidity issues, and inflammatory reactions, limiting their effectiveness and requiring frequent patient interventions.
Innovation Solution
A bioresorbable surgical support thread comprising a core thread of wound bioresorbable polyester or polyurethane filament surrounded by a flexible sleeve with inclined pins, which maintains mechanical strength and flexibility over time, manufactured through a cold molding process that preserves material properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If bioresorbable polymers are used for support threads, then the threads are eliminated from the patient's body over time without post-operative intervention, but the mechanical properties degrade rapidly during shaping and after implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The support thread is divided into multiple filaments (e.g., 7 filaments) twisted together to form a braided structure. This segmentation allows each filament to contribute to the overall mechanical strength while the collective structure maintains integrity during degradation. The braided configuration distributes mechanical loads across multiple strands, preventing rapid failure as individual filaments degrade.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction with multiple bioresorbable polymer filaments twisted together. Different polymer compositions can be used in the composite structure to optimize both mechanical properties and degradation characteristics. The composite braided structure combines the advantages of multiple materials to achieve both strength and controlled degradation.
2Strength
If high molecular weight PLLA is used to retain mechanical properties after implantation, then the material remains strong for longer periods, but the wire becomes too rigid for flexible handling and implantation
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid high molecular weight PLLA is segmented into multiple thin filaments that are twisted together. This segmentation reduces the overall rigidity of the structure while maintaining the high strength-to-weight ratio of the individual filaments. The braided configuration introduces flexibility through the inter-filament geometry, allowing the wire to bend and conform during implantation while retaining mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The filaments are arranged in a twisted braided configuration that introduces curvature and flexibility to the overall structure. This geometric arrangement allows the rigid filaments to work together in a flexible assembly, enabling the wire to bend and flex during handling and implantation while maintaining structural integrity and mechanical strength.
3Productivity
If extrusion process is used to manufacture the wire, then the wire can be produced efficiently, but the material is heated for quite a long time causing degradation of mechanical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The filaments are pre-formed with optimized mechanical properties through controlled processing, then assembled into the final braided structure. This preliminary preparation allows the material to be processed under gentler conditions that preserve mechanical properties, rather than requiring high-temperature extrusion of the final product. The filaments can be pre-stretched, pre-oriented, or pre-treated to achieve optimal properties before assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional thermal extrusion process is replaced with a mechanical assembly process where pre-formed filaments are twisted and braided together. This substitution eliminates the need for prolonged high-temperature heating that degrades mechanical properties, while still achieving efficient production through mechanical manipulation of the filaments. The braiding process itself can be highly automated and efficient.
Data Source
Figure 1~2c
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
The present invention concerns a bioresorbable surgical support wire comprising a core wire consisting of a wound filament of a polymer chosen from the group of bioresorbable polyesters and polyurethanes, and a flexible sleeve made from bioresorbable polymer surrounding the core wire, comprising a cross-section along which lugs are arranged. The present invention also concerns a method for producing a surgical wire according to the invention.