Nerve Guide Conduit With Helical Filament For Kink Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current nerve repair implants, such as nerve guide conduits, lack kink resistance and compression resistance, leading to mechanical distortion and reduced effectiveness in bridging nerve gaps, especially in areas requiring bending, like the wrist and hand, and are not suitable for longer gaps or other tubular organs like tendons and vascular tissue.
Innovation Solution
A biocompatible, resorbable, semipermeable tubular biopolymeric matrix implant with a helically or crisscross-wound synthetic polymeric filament provides both compression and kink resistance, maintaining structural integrity during nerve regeneration and suitable for nerve repair and ridge augmentation in dental surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a straight tube nerve guide conduit is used, then the implant is simple in structure and easy to manufacture, but it lacks kink resistance and cannot maintain structural integrity in areas requiring bending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a biopolymeric matrix (such as collagen) with synthetic polymeric filaments (such as polyglycolic acid or polylactic acid) to create a composite nerve guide conduit. The synthetic filaments provide tensile strength and kink resistance, while the biopolymeric matrix provides biocompatibility and resorbability. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of manufacture through a straightforward fabrication process while significantly improving kink resistance and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates helical or spiral winding patterns of the synthetic polymeric filaments within the tubular structure. This curved, helical configuration provides inherent kink resistance by distributing mechanical stresses evenly along the conduit, preventing sharp bends and maintaining structural integrity in areas requiring flexibility, thus resolving the contradiction between structural strength and manufacturing simplicity.
2Strength
If ridges are created along the wall of the nerve guide to impart kink resistance, then kink resistance is improved, but the ridges relax upon hydration causing length increase and reduced kink resistance effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure where synthetic polymeric filaments are embedded within a biopolymeric matrix. The synthetic filaments maintain dimensional stability and kink resistance even after hydration, preventing the length increase problem associated with ridge relaxation. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by providing stable, non-relaxing structural support while maintaining the benefits of a hydrated environment for nerve regeneration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies synthetic polymeric filaments selectively within the wall structure of the nerve guide conduit, concentrating reinforcement where needed without adding excessive bulk. This localized reinforcement provides consistent kink resistance and dimensional stability upon hydration, resolving the contradiction between improving kink resistance and maintaining dimensional stability.
3Strength
If ridges are used to provide kink resistance, then kink resistance is improved, but the implant can still collapse under external forces reducing luminal space for axonal growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure with synthetic polymeric filaments providing tensile strength and compression resistance, preventing collapse under external forces while maintaining luminal space. The biopolymeric matrix provides structural support and flexibility, ensuring the conduit maintains its shape and internal volume for axonal growth. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by providing both kink resistance and luminal space maintenance simultaneously.
4Reliability
If a resorbable biopolymeric membrane is used, then biocompatibility and gradual degradation are improved, but compression and kink resistance are insufficient without additional reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a resorbable biopolymeric matrix (providing biocompatibility and gradual degradation) with non-resorbable or slowly resorbable synthetic polymeric filaments (providing compression and kink resistance). The synthetic filaments maintain structural strength throughout the nerve regeneration period, while the biopolymeric matrix provides biocompatibility and eventual resorption. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by providing both biocompatibility and sufficient mechanical strength simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A compression and kink resistant tubular implant for nerve repair. The implant includes a tubular biopolymeric membrane and a polymeric supporting filament. Also provided is a shaped compression resistant implant for ridge augmentation in dental surgery. Methods for producing the implants are also provided.