Conical Reinforcing Element for Hernia Mesh Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hernia repair prostheses face challenges in being easily introduced and spread out within small incisions, and they often revert under abdominal pressure, leading to potential recurrence of the hernia due to inadequate fixation and risk of adhesion or organ trapping.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcing element with a conical structure, comprising fingers that misalign under axial stress to adopt a planar configuration and hug the abdominal wall, preventing reversion, and can be compactly configured for easy introduction and automatically deploy once implanted, minimizing the risk of organ trapping and adhesion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the prosthesis is made flexible to facilitate introduction through small incisions, then ease of operation is improved, but the prosthesis tends to form creases and revert under abdominal pressure, worsening reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing element is divided into multiple fingers that can independently bend and misalign. This segmentation allows the structure to be flexible during introduction while maintaining stability when deployed, as each finger can adapt to the abdominal wall contour separately
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing element transitions from a compact conical configuration during introduction to a misaligned planar configuration when subjected to abdominal pressure. This dynamic transformation allows the structure to adapt its properties based on the operational phase, being flexible during insertion and stable during fixation
2Ease of operation
If the prosthesis is folded to reduce volume for introduction, then ease of operation is improved, but spreading it out requires significant surgeon intervention, worsening productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing element automatically deploys and spreads out on its own when subjected to abdominal pressure, without requiring significant surgeon manipulation. The misalignment of fingers under stress naturally causes the mesh to flatten and conform to the abdominal wall, making the prosthesis self-deploying
Solution Approach 2:
The structure dynamically transforms from a compact conical form to an expanded planar form under abdominal pressure. This automatic transformation eliminates the need for manual spreading operations and reduces surgical intervention time
3Reliability
If the reinforcing element fingers are fixed rigidly to prevent misalignment, then reliability is improved, but the prosthesis cannot adapt to abdominal wall contours, worsening adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing element is segmented into multiple independent fingers that can bend and misalign relative to each other. This segmentation provides both adaptability to contours and stability through the collective misalignment effect that prevents reversion
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the reinforcing element have different properties: the fingers are flexible to adapt to contours, while the base structure maintains rigidity to prevent reversion. The misalignment capability is localized to the finger joints, while the overall structure maintains stability
4Reliability
If the prosthesis is perfectly spread out to prevent organ trapping, then reliability is improved, but the complexity of ensuring perfect positioning increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthesis self-adjusts to a flat configuration automatically when subjected to abdominal pressure. The misalignment of fingers under stress naturally causes the mesh to spread out and conform to the abdominal wall, eliminating the need for complex positioning procedures or multiple adjustment steps
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a reinforcing element (200) for a circular mesh, comprising a plurality of fingers (201) which, at rest, form a conical structure (202) that can open out when the reinforcing element is placed under axial stress, each finger comprising a vertex segment (201a) and a peripheral segment (201b) defining a vertex part (202a) and a peripheral part (202b) of the said conical structure, the said reinforcing element comprising, for each finger, means (201c, 205; 402; 502) of misaligning the said vertex segment and the said peripheral segment, at least when the said reinforcing element is under axial stress, the said misalignment means making it possible, in the said position under axial stress, firstly for the peripheral part of the said conical structure to adopt a planar configuration, and secondly, for the said vertex part of the said structure to maintain a conical shape. The invention also relates to a prosthesis (300) comprising such a reinforcing element (200) associated with a mesh (1).