Medical Device Positioning Assembly with Centering Tab
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical assemblies for treating stress urinary incontinence (SUI) face challenges in accurately positioning and removing medical devices, such as mesh, due to the difficulty in locating and severing dulled edges, leading to additional small assembly pieces and complexity in removal.
Innovation Solution
A medical device positioning assembly featuring a sleeve with a centering tab that allows for the positioning and maintenance of atraumatic edges of the mesh, where the tab can be severed along its proximal portion to remain in one piece, facilitating easier removal without creating additional small pieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the centering tab is severed into multiple pieces to facilitate removal, then the assembly can be removed from the patient's body, but additional small assembly pieces are created that are difficult to grasp and remove
Solution Approach 1:
The centering tab is designed with a scored line indicating where it should be severed, but the tab remains connected through the heat-sealed sleeve portion, creating a segmented yet connected structure that facilitates controlled separation while maintaining gripability
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve is heat-sealed to the centering tab, creating a nested structure where the sleeve contains and connects to the tab. This nesting ensures that when the tab is severed, the sleeve remains attached, preventing the creation of separate small pieces
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the edges of the mesh are dulled to minimize irritation and erosion, then patient safety is improved, but the difficulty in locating and positioning the dulled portion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dulled portion of the mesh is associated with a specific location that can be identified through the positioning assembly, and the sleeve may be made of a visible material or include visual indicators to help the physician locate the dulled portion during implantation
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning assembly acts as an intermediary between the dulled mesh portion and the physician, providing a mechanism (centering tab with channel) that facilitates the location and precise positioning of the dulled portion without requiring the physician to directly see or feel the mesh edges
3Manufacturing precision
If the sleeve is heat-sealed to the centering tab to maintain position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat-sealing process changes the physical state of the sleeve and tab materials, creating a permanent bond that maintains positioning accuracy. The sealing temperature and pressure parameters are controlled to ensure proper attachment without excessive complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A medical retrieval device of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an assembly for positioning a medical device includes a sleeve having a lumen configured to accept a medical device, and a tab. The tab includes a distal portion and a proximal portion. The distal portion is configured to receive the sleeve for positioning the sleeve proximate the proximal portion. The proximal portion is configured such that severing the tab along the proximal portion maintains the tab in one piece.