Expandable Hernia Patch with Segmented Struts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical patches used for hernia repair often crumble and kink when positioned or anchored to tissue, limiting their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A hernia repair system comprising a surgical patch that can transition from a contracted to an expanded orientation, secured by a dispenser and sutures, with a stiffening portion and optional tethers or gripping features to ensure secure and flat positioning against the tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surgical patch is used to reinforce hernia defect, then the effectiveness of hernia repair is improved, but the patch tends to crumble and kink when being positioned or anchored relative to the tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical patch is divided into multiple struts connected by joints, creating a modular expandable structure. This segmentation allows the patch to be inserted in a compact state and then expanded to its full functional size at the surgical site, preventing crumbling and kinking during positioning and anchoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical patch incorporates movable joints that enable it to transition from a compact inserted state to an expanded functional state. This dynamic structure allows the patch to adapt to the tissue geometry while maintaining structural integrity, eliminating the crumpling issue associated with traditional rigid or flexible patches.
2Area of stationary object
If a surgical patch is expanded to cover the defect area, then the coverage and support are improved, but the patch becomes difficult to position and anchor without crumpling
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable surgical patch can be collapsed into a compact configuration that fits within a delivery catheter for minimally invasive insertion. Once positioned at the defect site, the patch is expanded to its full coverage area, providing both ease of insertion and adequate coverage without crumpling during the positioning process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patch transitions from a compact inserted state to an expanded functional state through controlled deployment mechanisms. This dynamic transformation allows the surgeon to easily position the patch in its compact form and then expand it to the required coverage area, eliminating the difficulty of handling large flexible patches during positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a surgical patch is made flexible to conform to tissue, then the adaptability to tissue shape is improved, but the patch lacks structural support to prevent kinking and crumpling
Solution Approach 1:
The patch is constructed from multiple rigid or semi-rigid struts connected by flexible joints. This segmented structure provides inherent structural support to prevent kinking and crumpling, while the flexible joints allow the overall assembly to conform to the irregular geometry of the hernia defect and surrounding tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical patch combines rigid structural elements (struts) with flexible connection elements (joints), creating a composite structure. This composite design provides both the structural strength needed to prevent kinking and the flexibility required to adapt to the three-dimensional geometry of the tissue site.
Data Source
AI summary
A hernia repair system includes a surgical patch, a dispenser, and a plurality of sutures. The surgical patch is movable between a contracted orientation and an expanded orientation. The dispenser includes a housing and a plunger. The housing defines a lumen. The plunger is movably secured within the lumen. The housing is configured to releasably retain the surgical patch within the lumen in the contracted orientation of the surgical patch. The plunger is configured to expel the surgical patch from the housing upon the selective actuation of the plunger from a first position to a second position. The surgical patch is autonomously positionable in the expanded orientation upon being expelled from the lumen. The plurality of sutures are configured to securely mount the surgical patch to a tissue site when the surgical patch is positioned in the expanded orientation.