Fenestrated Decoupling System for Bowel Wall Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current attachment methods for applying tensile loads to the bowel wall in treating short bowel syndrome are unreliable and can cause tissue damage, ischemia, and are not suitable for minimally invasive procedures, limiting their clinical applicability.

Innovation Solution

A fenestrated decoupling system that allows selective attachment and detachment to a hollow member, using an expanding device with a friction enhancement that engages the interior surface only when enlarged, enabling safe transfer of longitudinal tensile loads and minimizing tissue damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If end abutment or suture-based attachment methods are used to apply tensile load to bowel wall, then load transfer capability is improved, but tissue damage and ischemia occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload transfer capabilityVSAvoidtissue damage and ischemia

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a porous friction enhancement material disposed on the expanding device that engages with the bowel wall through friction rather than direct pressure or sutures. The porous structure allows tissue ingrowth and maintains attachment while distributing forces evenly, preventing ischemia and tissue damage while achieving reliable load transfer for mechanotransduction enterogenesis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The friction enhancement material acts as an intermediary between the expanding device and the bowel wall. This intermediate layer transfers tensile loads from the device to the tissue through frictional forces, avoiding direct mechanical contact that causes damage with end-abutment methods, while still achieving sufficient attachment strength for tissue lengthening

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Force

If friction enhancement is always engaged with interior surface, then load transfer is improved, but device cannot move freely through bowel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload transferVSAvoiddevice mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The expanding device is designed to be dynamically adjustable between expanded and collapsed states. When expanded, the friction enhancement engages with the bowel wall for secure load transfer; when collapsed, the friction enhancement disengages, allowing the device to move freely through the bowel for implantation, removal, and repositioning. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between attachment strength and device mobility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If expanding device is enlarged to engage friction enhancement, then attachment reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment reliabilityVSAvoiddevice structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the expanding device and friction enhancement into a single integrated attachment system. The friction enhancement is disposed directly on the expanding device, eliminating the need for separate attachment mechanisms. This merging achieves reliable attachment through a single expansion action while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 fenestrated decoupling system facilitates reliable and safe attachment and detachment, reducing the risk of tissue damage and ischemia, enabling minimally invasive procedures and promoting tissue growth, while allowing for deeper traction forces and easier device movement.

Implementation Method 1

a friction enhancement disposed about the expanding device that is engageable with the interior surface of the hollow member when the expanding device is in the enlarged position

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS10159486B2Fenestrated decoupling system for internal selective attachment to soft tissue organs

Publication Date: 2018.12.25 THE RGT UNIV OF MICHIGAN

AI summary

An attachment system for selectively attaching to an interior surface of a hollow member, which includes an expanding device selectively enlargeable from a first size position to an enlarged second size position, a friction enhancement disposed about the expanding device that is engageable with the interior surface of the hollow member when the expanding device is in the enlarged position, and a fenestrated decoupling system extending between at least a portion of the friction enhancement of the expanding device and the interior surface of the hollow member. The fenestrated decoupling system generally prevents contact of the friction enhancement with the interior surface of the hollow member when the expanding device is in the first size position and permits contact of the friction enhancement with the interior surface of the hollow member when the expanding device is in the enlarged position.