Inguinal Hernia Prosthesis Coating for Easier Trocar Deployment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing prostheses for inguinal hernia repair face challenges in being delivered through small trocars and deploying correctly in the oblique inguinal region, often entangling with barbs and requiring complex orientation due to the non-symmetrical anatomy.

Innovation Solution

A biocompatible openworked textile prosthesis with a non-porous coating that hydrates at body temperature, allowing easy deployment and orientation, featuring fastening means like barbs and a distinct color indicator for correct positioning, minimizing foreign material introduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the prosthesis is delivered through a small diameter trocar, then the incision size is minimized, but the prosthesis deployment becomes difficult and entanglement occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveincision sizeVSAvoidprosthesis deployment
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthesis is designed to be rolled into a compact cylindrical shape that nests within the trocar conduit during delivery, then deploys automatically upon exiting the trocar, enabling minimally invasive insertion while maintaining full deployment capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The prosthesis is pre-rolled into a compact configuration before insertion, and the deployment mechanism is pre-configured to automatically unroll upon exiting the trocar, eliminating the need for complex manual deployment maneuvers through the small incision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If the prosthesis comprises barbs on the textile, then suture fixation is eliminated, but the barbs catch in the textile body during deployment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation stepsVSAvoidprosthesis deployment
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The textile is designed with differentiated zones: one face features barbs for tissue anchoring while the opposite face maintains smooth properties for easy passage through the trocar without entanglement, allowing each surface to optimize its specific function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The textile is functionally segmented into two distinct faces with different properties - a barbed side for fixation and a smooth side for delivery - enabling independent optimization of deployment and anchoring functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If the prosthesis is introduced with force, then deployment is achieved, but the barbs catch in the textile making deployment more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeployment speedVSAvoidprosthesis deployment
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The textile is designed with differentiated zones: one face features barbs for tissue anchoring while the opposite face maintains smooth properties for easy passage through the trocar without entanglement, allowing each surface to optimize its specific function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If the inguinal region obliqueness is considered, then anatomical coverage is improved, but the deployment space is restricted making orientation difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanatomical coverageVSAvoidprosthesis orientation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The prosthesis incorporates asymmetrical design elements including a color-coded zone indicating the medial aspect and an oblique seam forming a fold that creates a predetermined angle between textile parts, enabling correct anatomical orientation to be visually identified and easily achieved during deployment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

A distinct color zone is applied to the medial part of the prosthesis to provide visual guidance for correct anatomical orientation during implantation, allowing the surgeon to quickly identify and position the prosthesis correctly without complex orientation maneuvers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

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 prosthesis facilitates easy delivery and deployment through trocars, reduces entanglement, and ensures precise anatomical alignment, minimizing foreign material exposure and surgical complexity.

Implementation Method 1

a non-porous coating present only on an upper region of an upper part of a second face, the non-porous coating and the zone overlapping only on an upper medial part of the textile

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydration: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

The prosthesis facilitates easy delivery and deployment through trocars, reduces entanglement, and ensures precise anatomical alignment, minimizing foreign material exposure and surgical complexity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTemperature-dependent solubility: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentEP4122424B1Prosthesis for inguinal hernia
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 SOFRADIM PRODUCTION SAS
  • EP4122424B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4122424B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4122424B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a prosthesis for the repair of an inguinal hernia comprising: an openworked textile comprising a first face and a second face (2b), said first face provided with fastening means that are able to fix said textile in biological tissues of an inguinal region, said textile being provided with a zone (9) having a different colour than the rest of the prosthesis (1), said zone (9) being situated in a medial part of said textile, and said textile determining in a width direction a first part called the upper part (6) and a second part called the lower part (5), a non-porous coating (7) present on an upper region (6a) of the upper part (6) of the second face (2b), the non-porous coating (7) and the zone (9) overlapping only on an upper medial part of said textile.