Needle Array Guide for Skin Graft Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microskin grafting techniques face challenges in achieving even distribution and efficient placement of tiny skin particles on a wound bed, leading to time- and labor-intensive processes, and high viability issues due to lack of blood supply and drying of tissue.
Innovation Solution
A needle array guide and apparatus that converges hollow needles to attach to minced skin particles, allowing for efficient distribution and transfer onto a carrier, such as a gauze or nanofiber scaffold, with a system that includes a skin graft cutter and expansion apparatus to achieve high expansion ratios and maintain tissue viability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If microskin grafting is performed manually, then placement precision can be achieved, but productivity is extremely low and time consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The skin graft is segmented into multiple microskin particles through automated cutting, and the placement process is segmented into discrete steps (attachment to carrier, positioning, securing) that can be performed by different robotic end effectors, enabling high-speed automated placement while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary carrier (such as a mesh or scaffold) is introduced to hold multiple microskin particles in predetermined patterns. The robotic system attaches particles to the carrier first, then transfers the entire carrier to the wound bed, combining precision placement with high productivity through batch processing
2Area of stationary object
If microskin particles are made smaller to increase expansion ratio, then coverage area increases, but tissue viability decreases due to drying and lack of blood supply
Solution Approach 1:
Microskin particles are attached to a carrier structure before transplantation, creating a pre-assembled graft construct that maintains particle spacing and prevents drying. This preliminary assembly protects tissue viability while achieving high expansion ratios
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible carrier (mesh or scaffold) is used to support the microskin particles, providing a protective environment that maintains humidity and promotes blood supply while allowing the graft to conform to the wound bed geometry
3Area of stationary object
If expansion ratio is increased to reduce donor site size, then donor site morbidity decreases, but distribution evenness and placement precision become more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is pre-configured with attachment points or patterns that ensure even distribution of microskin particles across the graft area. This preliminary design of the carrier structure guarantees uniform spacing and placement precision even at high expansion ratios
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier structure itself provides the positioning and spacing functionality, with features such as pre-formed holes, raised patterns, or adhesive zones that automatically ensure even distribution of particles without requiring complex robotic positioning control
Data Source
AI summary
A needle array guide for a skin graft expansion apparatus includes: a lower side having openings; and guide channels respectively leading to the openings and converging closer toward one another as the guide channels approach the openings, the guide channels configured to receive a plurality of hollow needles, arranged in a needle array and having respective tips to be attachable to minced skin particles obtained from a skin graft, to thereby guide movement of the plurality of hollow needles when the plurality of hollow needles are being protruded from the openings toward the minced skin particles and when the plurality of hollow needles are being retracted toward the openings. The needle array guide may be included as part of a skin graft expansion apparatus that further comprises the needle array. The skin graft expansion apparatus may be included as part of a skin grafting system.