Form-Stable Expandable Stent With Integrated Drainage and Irrigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stents and tissue expanders have flexible bodies that limit their manipulation and placement within the human body, necessitating improved form stability and functionality for medical procedures such as wound drainage, irrigation, and tissue expansion.
Innovation Solution
The development of form stable expandable stents with integrated drainage and irrigation tubing, featuring a sealed expandable shell with a form stability member, such as a thickened shell wall or coiled foam structure, to provide stability and ease of insertion, along with features like securement tabs and handle members for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a flexible body is used in prior art stents and tissue expanders, then the device can be easily inserted, but the form stability and manipulation capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The stent employs a dynamic structure that transitions from a compressed flexible state during insertion to an expanded form-stable state during use. The expandable cage structure allows the device to adapt its rigidity based on operational phase, achieving both easy insertion and form stability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The stent combines multiple materials with complementary properties: a flexible polymer coating for ease of insertion and a rigid metallic cage structure for form stability. This composite construction resolves the contradiction by assigning different functional requirements to different material components.
2Ease of operation
If a form stable structure is implemented, then manipulation and placement precision improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stent is divided into distinct functional segments: a form-stable metallic cage providing structural support and manipulation capability, and a flexible polymer coating providing biocompatibility and ease of insertion. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic cage structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: providing form stability for manipulation, serving as a structural framework for the expandable mechanism, and acting as a reinforcement for the polymer coating. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity despite the added form-stable features.
3Adaptability or versatility
If integrated drainage and irrigation tubing is added, then wound drainage functionality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage and irrigation tubing are integrated directly into the stent structure, merging the drainage function with the structural framework. The tubing is positioned within the cage structure, allowing fluid management capabilities to be added without requiring a completely separate system.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated tubing system serves multiple purposes: providing wound drainage, enabling irrigation of the surgical site, and maintaining structural integrity when filled with fluid. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering multiple clinical benefits through a single integrated component.
Data Source
AI summary
A form stable expandable stent and tissue expander assembly having a sealed outer shell body forming an internal chamber. A form stability member may be provided within the internal chamber of the shell body. Drainage/irrigation tubing extend through the chamber of the shell body and a fill tube is provided in communication with the internal chamber of the outer shell and extends outwardly therefrom. Manipulation structures with handles and other cooperating fastening and removing elements may be provided for use with the expandable stent and tissue expander assemblies of the invention.