Medical Device Deployment Cannula Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices, such as implantable spinal cord stimulators, face challenges in maintaining precise placement and retention within a subject due to movement of the device over time, leading to potential tissue damage and disruption of therapeutic efficacy.

Innovation Solution

Deployment devices with cannulas and locking mechanisms are used to securely position and deploy anchor elements on medical devices, ensuring reliable anchoring within the subject's tissue to maintain the device's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If anchors are sutured to subcutaneous tissue to secure the therapy delivery element, then the device position is stabilized, but the installation procedure becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice position stabilityVSAvoidinstallation procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor is divided into separate functional segments: a body portion for engagement with the therapy delivery element and a suture portion for tissue anchoring. This segmentation allows the anchor to be independently positioned on the device and then deployed through a simplified threading motion, reducing installation complexity while maintaining stabilization effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The anchor is pre-positioned on the therapy delivery element before implantation, with the body portion engaged on the device surface and the suture portion extending outward. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for complex intraoperative anchor attachment procedures, allowing practitioners to simply thread the pre-positioned anchor through tissue to secure device placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple tubular members and sutures are used to secure the lead anchor, then reliable anchoring is achieved, but the installation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The anchor body and suture are merged into a single integrated component rather than separate parts. The suture is permanently attached to the anchor body, eliminating the need for separate suture attachment steps and reducing the number of components that must be manipulated during installation, thereby reducing installation time while maintaining anchoring reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The complex multi-component anchoring system is extracted and replaced with a simplified single-anchor design. The anchor body provides structural engagement with the therapy delivery element while the integrated suture provides tissue anchoring, removing the need for multiple tubular members and separate sutures, thus reducing installation time without compromising reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11918250B2Deployment devices and related methods

Publication Date: 2024.03.05 CUSTOM MEDICAL APPL

AI summary

Deployment devices include a locking mechanism configured to secure a medical device to the deployment device. Methods of operating a deployment device include securing a medical device positioned at least partially within at least one cannula of the deployment device with a locking mechanism and releasing the medical device and securing at least a portion of the at least one cannula of the deployment device with the locking mechanism.