Subcutaneous Injection Port Radial Stabilizing Elements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current implantable injection ports require suturing to the tissue for stability, which leads to tissue trauma, prolonged surgery time, and post-operative pain, especially in obese patients, and may flip over, necessitating additional surgical interventions.

Innovation Solution

An implantable surgical injection port with radially extendable stabilizing elements that can be deployed within the tissue to secure the port without the need for sutures, allowing for minimal tissue disruption and quick healing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If sutures are used to attach the injection port to tissue, then the port stability is improved, but tissue trauma and post-operative pain increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveport stabilityVSAvoidtissue trauma
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing element is divided into multiple segments or lobes that can independently penetrate and anchor into the tissue. This segmentation allows the port to achieve stable fixation through distributed tissue engagement rather than concentrated suture forces, reducing overall tissue trauma while maintaining port stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stabilizing element transitions from a two-dimensional planar structure to a three-dimensional configuration with radial extensions that penetrate into the tissue depth dimension. This dimensional change enables anchoring within the tissue volume rather than just surface attachment, providing enhanced stability with minimal invasive insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Stability of the object's composition

If sutures are used to attach the injection port to tissue, then the port stability is improved, but surgical time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveport stabilityVSAvoidsurgical time
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing element is pre-formed and integrated with the injection port housing before implantation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming suture attachment procedures during surgery, as the stabilizing element is already in its functional configuration ready for immediate deployment upon insertion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The stabilizing element is designed to automatically engage and anchor itself into the tissue upon insertion, without requiring external assistance from surgical instruments or additional surgical steps. The element's geometry and material properties enable self-deployment and self-securing, significantly reducing surgical time while ensuring stable port fixation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the injection port is implanted without stabilizing elements, then surgical complexity is reduced, but the port may flip over or migrate requiring additional surgery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical complexityVSAvoidport positioning reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing element is merged with the injection port housing as an integrated assembly, combining the port function with the stabilization function in a single implantable unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate suture attachment procedures or additional stabilizing components, maintaining surgical simplicity while ensuring reliable port positioning through the integrated stabilizing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Stability of the object's composition

If a large incision is made for suturing the injection port, then port attachment is improved, but wound trauma and recovery time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveport attachmentVSAvoidwound trauma
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilizing function is extracted from the traditional suture attachment method and embodied in a separate, integrated stabilizing element that achieves fixation through tissue penetration rather than external suturing. This extraction eliminates the need for large incisions to access the fascia layer for suture placement, allowing port attachment through a smaller access wound and significantly reducing wound trauma and recovery time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP1704891B1Subcutaneous injection port with stabilizing elements
Publication Date: 2011.06.22 ETHICON ENDO SURGERY INC
  • EP1704891B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1704891B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1704891B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8

AI summary

An implantable surgical injection port including a housing having a body, a closed distal end, a open proximal end and a fluid reservoir therebetween. The housing includes a needle penetrable septum attached to the housing about the opening. The injection port further includes at least one stabilizing element mounted to the housing for stabilizing the port within tissue. The stabilizing element is a member having an undeployed position and a deployed position. Wherein the element extends radially from the body in the deployed position.