Locking Ferrule Tensionable Knotless Cardiac Valve Sutures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cardiac valve surgical procedures often require knotting sutures, which can be time-consuming and may lead to complications such as knot slippage or incomplete valve closure.
Innovation Solution
The use of a locking ferrule with a one-way locking mechanism to tension and lock sutures without knots, ensuring secure fixation of prosthetic devices to heart valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional knotting methods are used to secure sutures in cardiac valve procedures, then the sutures can be tied and secured, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and may lead to complications such as knot slippage or incomplete valve closure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the knot-tying step from the suture securing process by using a locking ferrule mechanism that secures sutures through barbs that engage with the suture material, eliminating the need for traditional knotting while maintaining security and reducing procedural time
Solution Approach 2:
The locking ferrule acts as an intermediary device between the suture and the tissue, providing a mechanical locking mechanism through its barbs that secure the suture without requiring knots, thus improving both reliability and reducing time loss
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional knotting methods are used to secure sutures, then sutures can be tied, but complications such as knot slippage or incomplete valve closure may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the knot-tying step and replaces it with a locking ferrule mechanism that provides more reliable suture security through its barb engagement system, eliminating the risk of knot slippage and ensuring complete valve closure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical knot-tying system with a locking ferrule mechanism featuring barbs that mechanically engage with the suture, providing more reliable and consistent suture security without the variability and potential failure modes of traditional knotting
3Reliability
If a locking ferrule with one-way locking mechanism is used to tension and lock sutures, then procedural time is reduced and security is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking ferrule is segmented into distinct functional components including the body, cannulation, and multiple barbs, allowing each element to perform its specific function independently while contributing to the overall locking mechanism, thus managing complexity through functional segmentation
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for performing tensionable knotless cardiac valve procedures. A locking ferrule that includes a one-way locking mechanism may be utilized as part of the tensionable knotless cardiac valve procedure for tensioning and locking one or more strands of suture. In other implementations, the one-way locking mechanism may be integrated as part of a prosthetic device or other surgical device that can be utilized in combination with the prosthetic device.