Elastic Wire Sphincter Implant for Stable Pressure Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Body tissue sphincters often lose the ability to maintain constriction of natural body passages, leading to issues like incontinence and reflux, necessitating medical interventions.
Innovation Solution
Implantable devices with elastic wire structures featuring wave patterns and varying spring constants, optionally coated to promote scar tissue growth, are designed to provide pressure and support sphincter function while minimizing migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid structure is used to provide stable pressure, then pressure stability is improved, but adaptability to tissue movement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic structure where the wire is configured in a wave pattern with multiple loops that can flex and expand. This allows the device to maintain pressure stability while adapting to tissue movement, as the wave pattern enables the structure to dynamically adjust its shape and volume in response to physiological changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in the physical parameters of the wire structure, specifically the wave pattern configuration and spring constant variations. By adjusting these parameters, the device can modulate its pressure output and adaptability, resolving the contradiction between stable pressure provision and adaptability to tissue movement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wire structure is made more elastic to accommodate tissue movement, then adaptability to tissue movement is improved, but pressure stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The wave pattern configuration provides dynamic elasticity, allowing the wire structure to flex with tissue movement while maintaining pressure stability through the interconnected loop structure that distributes and stabilizes the applied force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction combining the elastic wire material with the wave pattern geometry. This composite approach leverages both the material properties and structural configuration to achieve simultaneous adaptability and pressure stability.
3Ease of manufacture
If a uniform spring constant is used throughout the wire structure, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but functional adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality variations by configuring different sections of the wire with different spring constants. This allows specific regions to provide different levels of flexibility and support, enhancing functional adaptability while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity through a systematic variation approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the spring constant along the wire structure. This systematic parameter variation enables different functional zones within the device, improving adaptability while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple through controlled parameter changes.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the wire structure is designed to promote scar tissue growth, then device stability is improved, but tissue reaction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a coating as an intermediary substance that promotes scar tissue growth. This coating acts as a mediator between the wire structure and the surrounding tissue, facilitating stable integration while managing the complexity of tissue reactions through a controlled chemical interface.
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 devices enhance sphincter function by providing adjustable pressure and promoting scar tissue growth, reducing migration and improving physiological functioning.
Implementation Method 1
The wire structure may be elastic so as to provide a pressure around the body tissue structure such that the pressure may change with movement of the body tissue structure
Implementation Method 2
the coating may promote growth of scar tissue around the body tissue structure
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device may include an implantable device for treating a body tissue structure. The implantable device may include a wire structure which may include a wave pattern. The wire structure may be elastic so as to provide a pressure around the body tissue structure such that the pressure may change with movement of the body tissue structure.