Cervical Cerclage Support With Knot Tubes and Compression Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cervical insufficiency leads to preterm birth and miscarriage, and current cerclage procedures face challenges such as buried knots, suture migration, and tissue laceration due to concentrated compression, necessitating improved cervical support systems.
Innovation Solution
A cervical support system utilizing knot tubes and compression tubes with biocompatible materials, barbs, and flexible support members to distribute compressive forces evenly, preventing suture migration and facilitating knot identification and location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional suture knot is used in cerclage procedure, then the suture can be tied to secure the cervix, but the knot becomes buried in tissue and difficult to locate for removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a knot tube as an intermediary device that replaces the traditional buried knot. The knot tube is a biocompatible cylindrical structure with an inner passage through which the suture passes. The suture is secured by passing it through the tube and tying a knot outside the tube, making the knot visible and accessible while the tube remains embedded in the cervix. This intermediary structure solves the contradiction by providing both secure fixation and easy knot location for removal.
2Force
If compression is concentrated at a small area by the suture, then the suture provides strong support to the cervix, but the soft cervical tissue cannot resist the compression force leading to tissue disruption and suture migration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the concentrated compressive force into multiple distributed contact points by introducing compression tubes along the suture path. These tubes make contact with the cervical tissue at multiple locations, distributing the compressive force across a larger surface area. This segmentation prevents any single point from experiencing excessive pressure that would cause tissue disruption or suture migration, while maintaining overall cervical support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by using compression tubes with specific properties (biocompatible material, appropriate diameter, and surface characteristics) at specific locations along the suture path. Each compression tube is positioned to contact the cervix at a particular site, providing localized support and pressure distribution tailored to the anatomical requirements of different cervical regions.
3Ease of manufacture
If the suture is placed through soft cervical tissue, then the cerclage can be installed, but the suture pulls through the cervix over time due to tissue softness
Solution Approach 1:
The knot tube serves as an intermediary anchor point that prevents suture pull-through. The suture is passed through the tube, and the tube's structure (including potential barbs or friction features) prevents the suture from sliding back through the tissue. This intermediary structure provides a stable anchoring mechanism that maintains suture position over time while allowing for relatively simple installation during the cerclage procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for use in a cerclage procedure includes a flexible support member and a plurality of compression members disposed along the flexible support member. Each of the compression members has a connecting feature through which a suture used during the cerclage procedure is passed. Each of the compression members transforms a radially-compressive force applied by the suture into a radial pressure applied against the cervix.