Coil Tissue Fastener with Segmented Stent for Anastomosis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current laparoscopic tissue fastening techniques face challenges in precisely and safely joining different biological tissues, such as the duodenum and common bile duct, with existing methods often resulting in tissue entanglement and incomplete fastening due to the restoring force of the coil-shaped fastening tools.

Innovation Solution

A tissue fastening apparatus comprising a coil-shaped super elastic element wire with bending sections and a stent, where the wire is stretched and pierced into tissue, allowing the tissue fixing sections to restore to their original coil shape and hook onto the tissue walls, while a rotating mechanism ensures precise placement and avoids entanglement, and a stent with dilating and fall-off prevention portions ensures secure fixation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a coil-shaped fastening tool is used to join tissue layers, then the tissue layers can be fastened together, but the restoring force of the coil causes tissue entanglement and incomplete fastening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening completenessVSAvoidtissue entanglement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening tool is divided into multiple independent coil sections (first coil section, second coil section, third coil section) with different diameters. Each coil section can engage tissue independently, preventing entanglement while ensuring complete fastening. The segmentation allows controlled deployment where each section performs a specific fastening function at different depths or locations within the tissue.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different coil sections have different local properties, specifically different coil diameters. The first coil section has a larger diameter for initial tissue engagement, the second coil section has a smaller diameter for deep tissue penetration, and the third coil section has a medium diameter for securing. This local differentiation optimizes each section's interaction with tissue to prevent entanglement while ensuring reliable fastening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the fastening tool is restored to its original coil shape by body temperature, then the tissue layers are fastened, but precise placement and control during insertion is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefastening effectivenessVSAvoidplacement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening tool is pre-formed with a specific coil shape and then constrained in a linear configuration during insertion. The preliminary coiling provides the restoring force needed for fastening, while the temporary linear constraint enables precise placement. Once positioned correctly in the tissue, the constraint is released and the coil restores its original shape to perform the fastening function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A delivery catheter or sheath acts as an intermediary that maintains the fastening tool in a linear, controlled state during insertion. The intermediary protects the coil structure and allows precise positioning, then releases the tool at the target site where it can restore its coil shape and engage the tissue effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If a needle is used to pierce tissue and dispense the fastening tool, then the fastening tool can be delivered, but controlling the piercing depth and tool dispensing amount is challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool dispensing efficiencyVSAvoidpiercing depth control
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is pre-marked with depth indicators or has a stop mechanism that limits penetration depth before the fastening tool is dispensed. This preliminary control ensures the needle pierces only the necessary tissue depth, preventing over-penetration while allowing efficient tool delivery. The fastening tool is then dispensed in a controlled manner along the needle tract.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The manual control of needle insertion and tool dispensing is replaced with a mechanically integrated system where the needle and fastening tool are coupled. As the needle advances, it automatically dispenses the fastening tool in a coordinated fashion, eliminating the need for separate manual operations and improving both depth control and dispensing precision.

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

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 apparatus effectively fastens tissue walls with high precision, preventing entanglement and ensuring secure anastomosis, allowing for efficient bile flow between the duodenum and common bile duct without leakage, and can be easily detached once its purpose is served.

Implementation Method 1

a coil-shaped super elastic element wire with bending sections and a stent, where the wire is stretched and pierced into tissue, allowing the tissue fixing sections to restore to their original coil shape

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuper elasticity: Pseudoelasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2143390B1Tissue fastening tool and applicator for indwelling the same within body
Publication Date: 2018.04.25 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)
  • EP2143390B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2143390B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2143390B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

A tissue fastening apparatus related to the present invention includes; a tissue fastening tool (10A) formed of a wire wound into a coil shape provided with a first tissue fixing section (11) which is hooked onto a first biological tissue and a second tissue fixing section (12) which is hooked onto a second biological tissue; a tubular puncturing tool (52) which extends a tissue fastening tool (10A) and accommodates the stretched tissue fastening tool (10A) inside of the puncturing tool (52); a fastening tool pusher in which the distal end thereof is inserted into the puncturing tool (52) and dispenses the tissue fastening tool (10A) inserted into the puncturing tool (52) from a distal end of the puncturing tool (52) when the fastening tool pusher (53) advances; and a rotating mechanism (96) to rotate the puncturing tool (52) when the fastening tool pusher (53) advances.