Hydrogel-Textile Composite Membrane for Surgical Adhesion Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical adhesions post-procedure cause complications such as pain, bowel obstructions, and vascular injuries during revision surgeries, necessitating a barrier to prevent tissue adhesion and facilitate navigation during reoperations.
Innovation Solution
A membrane composition comprising a polyvinyl alcohol-based hydrogel crosslinked with polymers like poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and a textile component such as polypropylene, encapsulating fibers to provide strength, lubricity, and biocompatibility, preventing tissue adhesion while allowing ease of placement and visibility during surgeries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a barrier membrane is used to prevent tissue adhesion, then post-operative complications are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier membrane is constructed as a composite material system combining a hydrogel component (providing adhesion prevention and lubricity) with a textile component (providing structural strength and stability). This composite structure enables the membrane to simultaneously prevent tissue adhesion while maintaining mechanical integrity and ease of handling during surgery.
2Strength
If the membrane provides strong structural support, then fixation stability is improved, but flexibility for navigation during revision surgery is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The textile component provides the necessary structural strength and fixation stability through its woven or knitted fiber architecture, while the hydrogel component imparts flexibility and pliability that enables the membrane to be easily manipulated and navigated during revision surgeries. The composite structure synergistically combines these opposing mechanical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane is designed as a thin film structure that can conform to anatomical surfaces while maintaining sufficient structural support. The hydrogel-encapsulated textile construction allows the membrane to bend and flex as needed during surgical navigation while preserving fixation stability when in place.
3Measurement precision
If the membrane is made radiopaque for visibility, then detection precision is improved, but biocompatibility may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Radiopaque markers or indicators are incorporated locally into specific regions of the membrane rather than throughout the entire structure. This allows the membrane to maintain its biocompatible hydrogel-textile composition in contact with tissue while including localized radiopaque elements (such as barium sulfate or tungsten-containing compounds) that provide necessary visibility during surgical procedures without compromising overall biocompatibility.
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 membrane effectively reduces tissue adhesions, provides stable fixation, and aids in navigation during revision surgeries by being flexible, non-absorbable, and radiopaque, maintaining structural integrity and preventing tissue ingrowth, thus minimizing complications and facilitating reoperations.
Implementation Method 1
a first component and a second component, wherein the first component comprises a hydrogel including polyvinyl alcohol-based hydrogel crosslinked to a second polymer
Implementation Method 2
The first component comprises a hydrogel including polyvinyl alcohol-based hydrogel
Implementation Method 3
the textile component is encapsulated by the first component
Implementation Method 4
a textile component is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester, polyetheretherketone and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. The textile component is formed of fibers
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method of forming and the resulting membrane composition for securement to a patient's bone or tissue to reduce the formation of tissue adhesions following a surgical procedure comprises a first component and a second component. The first component comprises a hydrogel including at least one crosslinked polymer. The second component comprises a textile component. The composition has a thickness between about two tenths of a millimeter (0.2 mm) to about six tenths of a millimeter (0.6 mm), a suture retention strength between about one Newton (1 N) to about thirteen Newtons (13 N), a static coefficient of friction between about one hundredth (0.01) and about one-half (0.5), a kinetic coefficient of friction between about one hundredth (0.01) and about one-half (0.5) and a flexibility of less than thirty millimeters (30 mm) bend length. A method of reducing the occurrence of tissue adhesions following surgery comprises applying the membrane composition to a surgical site.