Electrosurgical Electrospinning Device for Tissue Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for chronic wounds, hernias, and gastrointestinal perforations using mechanical means like sutures and meshes are not entirely effective in preventing reoccurrence and may induce foreign body reactions, while electrospinning has only been used in vitro for tissue engineering scaffolds.
Innovation Solution
A handheld electrosurgical electrospinning device that uses a combination of electrospinning and blow-spraying techniques to deposit polymer fibers and droplets directly onto tissue at low voltages, allowing for in vivo and in situ treatment of tissue defects by coaxially applying gas and polymer solution through multiple nozzles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional electrospinning is used to deposit polymer fibers onto tissue, then fiber deposition is achieved, but the process requires high voltages (above 2 kV) that create arcing risks and are unsuitable for in vivo applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electrospinning and blow-spraying techniques into a hybrid system. The electrospinning component generates charged polymer fibers, while the blow-spraying component uses compressed gas to propel these fibers onto tissue at low voltages (≤3 kV), eliminating arcing risks and enabling safe in vivo application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a blow-spraying mechanism that uses compressed gas (pneumatic force) to deliver polymer solution and propel electrospun fibers onto tissue. This pneumatic assistance allows the system to operate at low voltages while maintaining effective fiber deposition, resolving the contradiction between safety and energy consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If electrospinning is used to generate nanofibers for tissue engineering, then fiber architecture promotes cell migration and healing, but the process has only been performed in vitro and not directly on tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges electrospinning with blow-spraying technology to create a handheld device capable of direct in vivo application. This combination enables the system to perform both electrospinning (for fiber generation) and blow-spraying (for direct tissue delivery), expanding application scope from in vitro to in vivo while managing device complexity through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The handheld device is designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both electrospinning capabilities (for nanofiber generation) and blow-spraying capabilities (for direct tissue deposition). This universal design allows the single device to perform multiple functions: generating fibers, propelling them, and depositing them directly onto tissue, thereby expanding application versatility.
3Reliability
If mechanical means like sutures and meshes are used to treat chronic wounds and hernias, then immediate structural support is provided, but the treatments are not completely effective at preventing reoccurrence and may induce foreign body reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of material delivery from mechanical insertion (sutures/meshes) to electrospun fiber deposition. This parameter change enables the formation of biocompatible polymer scaffolds that promote natural tissue regeneration, reducing foreign body reactions and improving long-term effectiveness by preventing reoccurrence through biological integration rather than mechanical support alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs polymer solutions (such as polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene) that form composite nanofiber structures upon electrospinning. These composite material structures provide both mechanical support and biological compatibility, reducing foreign body reactions while maintaining effectiveness in preventing reoccurrence of wounds and hernias.
4Manufacturing precision
If electrospinning is used to produce continuous liquid jets, then nanofibers with appropriate morphology are generated, but the technique is demanding and requires solutions with specific viscosity, surface tension, and conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines electrospinning with blow-spraying, where the blow-spraying component provides mechanical propulsion that compensates for variations in solution properties. This merging allows the system to achieve precise fiber morphology control through the synergistic interaction between electrostatic forces (electrospinning) and pneumatic forces (blow-spraying), reducing the stringency of solution formulation requirements.
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
Enables effective, minimally invasive treatment of tissue defects by depositing a mixture of nano-scale and large-scale fibers, promoting cellular infiltration and tissue regrowth, while mitigating the risk of arcing and improving deposition rates for clinically relevant applications.
Implementation Method 1
a handheld electrosurgical electrospinning device that uses a combination of electrospinning and blow-spraying techniques to deposit polymer fibers and droplets directly onto tissue at low voltages
Implementation Method 2
A blow-spraying mechanism is included for blowing gas around each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles when the polymer solution is dispensed from the plurality of needles
Data Source
AI summary
An electrosurgical electrospinning device is presented including a reservoir having a polymer solution disposed therein, the reservoir cooperating with a dispensing apparatus configured to dispense the polymer solution from the reservoir. The electrosurgical electrospinning device further includes a plurality of nozzles connected to the reservoir, each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles including a plurality of needles and a blow-spraying mechanism for blowing gas around each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles when the polymer solution is dispensed from the plurality of needles. The gas from the blow-spraying mechanism and the polymer solution from the plurality of needles are coaxially applied directly onto tissue at voltages of less than or equal to 3 kV.