3D Composite Implant with Dry Foam for Soft Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical meshes struggle to maintain their structural integrity and gripping ability when thermoformed into three-dimensional configurations, leading to weakened filaments and ineffective attachment to tissues.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional composite implant comprising a surgical mesh with attached dry foam, which can transition from a planar to a three-dimensional configuration without thermosetting, allowing for controlled activation of grip members for tissue attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the surgical mesh is thermoformed into a three-dimensional configuration, then the mesh can be positioned in a three-dimensional arrangement, but the filaments and grip members are damaged and weakened
Solution Approach 1:
A foam layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the planar surgical mesh and the three-dimensional target configuration. The foam is formed in a three-dimensional shape and used to mold the mesh into the desired configuration without applying direct thermal or mechanical stress to the mesh itself, thereby preserving the strength of filaments and grip members while achieving the required three-dimensional positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The traditional thermoforming process uses thermal energy to deform the mesh into a three-dimensional shape. This patent replaces the thermal/mechanical forming process with a foam-molding approach, where a pre-formed three-dimensional foam structure guides the mesh into the desired configuration through physical containment rather than thermal stress, avoiding damage to the mesh components.
2Reliability
If the grip members are made to attach directly to tissue, then fixation is improved, but the activation timing and location cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The foam layer is designed with varying properties in different regions - some areas have foam that allows grip member activation while other areas prevent it. This local differentiation enables selective activation of grip members in specific locations, allowing the surgeon to control where and when fixation occurs based on the specific surgical needs and tissue characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static, all-or-nothing grip activation to a dynamic, controllable activation process. The foam layer can be designed to degrade at different rates or be compressed to different degrees in different regions, enabling temporal and spatial control over when and where grip members activate, allowing flexible adaptation during the surgical procedure.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to composite implants configured for the repair or treatment of soft tissue, the composite implants including a three-dimensional mesh having one or more filaments and/or grip members and a compressible foam applied thereto.