Composite Welded Fixation Tab for Suture End Effector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional barbed sutures with end effectors face limitations in achieving increased holding strength without increasing size, which can be intolerable and undesirable in surgical procedures, and existing solutions struggle to balance mass and thickness for enhanced stopping power.
Innovation Solution
A composite suture device with a welded or bonded fixation tab, formed by adding a second layer to the end effector, which increases mass and holding strength while maintaining a similar thickness and minimizing surface area, using RF welding or chemical bonding to secure the components, ensuring the device is made from the same material as the suture body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the surface area of the end effector is increased to provide greater holding strength, then the stopping power is improved, but the device size becomes intolerable and undesirable in surgical procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector transitions from a two-dimensional flat tab to a three-dimensional composite structure by welding a second layer to the first layer. This dimensional change allows the end effector to achieve greater volume and mass (improving holding strength) while maintaining a compact footprint that minimizes surface area projection, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is constructed as a composite structure with a first layer and a second layer welded together. This composite construction increases the mass and holding strength of the end effector without proportionally increasing the surface area, as the additional material is stacked in the thickness dimension rather than expanding the planar dimensions.
2Strength
If the thickness of the end effector is increased to provide greater holding strength, then the stopping power is improved, but the device becomes intolerable and palpable during surgical procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The solution utilizes the thickness dimension strategically by welding a second layer to the first layer, creating a composite structure. This approach increases the effective mass and holding strength through three-dimensional configuration rather than simply increasing the thickness of a single layer, thereby achieving strength improvement while keeping the overall thickness manageable and tolerable.
3Strength
If the mass of the end effector is increased to provide greater holding strength, then the stopping power is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Two separate layers are welded together to form a unified composite end effector structure. This merging approach increases the mass and holding strength while maintaining relatively simple individual layer geometries. The welding process creates a strong bond between layers without requiring complex internal structures or additional components, thereby achieving mass increase with minimal increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is constructed as a composite of two layers welded together, providing increased mass and strength. This composite approach allows for straightforward manufacturing of each individual layer followed by a simple welding operation, avoiding the need for complex monolithic structures or assembly of multiple small components, thus maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving the desired mass and strength.
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 composite fixation tab provides statistically significant gains in maximum load, elongation, and energy at break, with a negligible increase in volume and surface area, resulting in a more effective and tolerable end effector that enhances wound closure without introducing additional material or size issues.
Implementation Method 1
a welded or bonded fixation tab secured to the distal end, the composite fixation tab including: a first layer having a top side and a bottom side with thickness therebetween
Implementation Method 2
using RF welding or chemical bonding to secure the components
Data Source
AI summary
A suture device including an improved welded fixation device at its distal end, to provide improved holding strength during and after implantation of the suture in tissue.