Braided Suture Marker Assembly to Prevent Fiducial Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fiducial metal markers in less dense or fatty tissue risk migration and inaccurate placement, leading to suboptimal radiation therapy targeting.
Innovation Solution
A braided suture system encapsulates the marker within absorbable or non-absorbable fibers, securing it in place with a woven technique, optionally marked with a contrasting color, and may include a radioactive core for enhanced visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a loose marker system is used in less dense or fatty tissue, then the marker placement procedure is simpler, but the marker migrates and placement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The marker is nested within a suture structure, specifically enclosed by braided suture threads that form a cavity containing the marker. This nesting configuration prevents the marker from migrating in less dense or fatty tissue while maintaining simple insertion procedures, as the entire suture-marker assembly can be inserted together through a needle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines different materials with complementary properties: a metallic marker (gold, platinum, or iridium) for radiopacity and imaging visibility, combined with absorbable or non-absorbable suture materials for tissue anchoring. This composite construction ensures the marker remains securely positioned in various tissue densities while maintaining ease of insertion.
2Reliability
If a suture marker system is used to secure the marker, then marker stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The suture system is segmented into multiple individual threads (typically three) that are braided together to form a cohesive structure. Each thread independently contributes to marker stability, and the segmented design allows for flexible insertion through a needle while maintaining overall structural integrity and marker security.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple suture threads are merged through braiding to create a unified encapsulating structure around the marker. This merging of separate elements into a single integrated suture-marker assembly simplifies the insertion process (passed through one needle) while maintaining the reliability benefits of multiple anchoring points.
3Reliability
If the marker is encapsulated within braided suture threads, then marker migration is prevented, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The suture threads are pre-formed into a braided structure with a defined cavity before marker insertion. This preliminary braiding creates the encapsulating framework in advance, allowing for straightforward marker insertion into the pre-prepared cavity without requiring complex assembly steps during the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The marker is inserted into the cavity formed by the braided suture threads, creating a nested configuration. This nesting approach simplifies manufacturing compared to attempting to form the suture structure around the marker after insertion, as the braided cavity is prepared in advance to receive the marker.
Data Source
AI summary
A braided suture fiducial metallic marker system includes a braided suture fiducial metallic marker system includes a metallic marker, a multiplicity of suture threads (absorbable or non-absorbable), braided with one another and encapsulating the marker, and a needle disposed at a distal end of the multiplicity of threads and a needle disposed at an opposite distal end. In this regard, a portion of the braided suture threads in which the marker is encapsulated may be visually demarcated with a contrasting color. As well, the marker may define a cavity which may in turn, contain a radioactive material. As another option, a single one of the multiplicity of suture threads may extend through one end of the cavity to another end of the cavity so that the single one of the multiplicity of threads is braided with others of the multiplicity of suture threads.