Needle-Suture Connection Minimizing Tissue Trauma

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing needle-suture combinations often cause leakage, such as bleeding, due to a mismatch between the tissue opening size and the suture cross-section area, leading to traumatic tissue handling during suturing.

Innovation Solution

A needle-suture combination with a connection part having a smaller cross-section area compared to the suture, allowing the needle and connection part to be pulled through the tissue opening together, reducing the maximum cross-section area and minimizing tissue trauma, and subsequently reducing bleeding by ensuring the suture fills the opening with a smaller cross-section area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the suture extends from the longitudinal axis of the needle, then the suture can be easily attached and positioned, but the cross section area of the needle-suture combination increases resulting in a larger tissue opening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuture attachment and positioningVSAvoidtissue opening cross section area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The connection part is positioned within the envelope formed by the suture, with the suture extending from the needle and the connection part located inside this envelope. This nesting arrangement allows the suture to be easily attached while minimizing the overall cross section area of the needle-suture combination, thereby reducing tissue opening size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If a larger cross section area is pulled through the tissue opening, then the needle and suture can be easily inserted, but the tissue opening is enlarged causing more trauma and potential leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneedle and suture insertionVSAvoidtissue trauma and leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The connection part is designed with a smaller cross section area compared to the suture, and its length is specifically controlled to be larger than the longest distance from the suture connection to each needle end. This parameter optimization allows the needle and connection part to pass through the tissue opening with minimal trauma, while the suture subsequently fills the opening to prevent leakage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the suture cross section area is increased to reduce the ratio with the combined needle and connection part area, then tissue trauma is reduced, but the connection part must be even smaller which may compromise structural integrity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetissue traumaVSAvoidconnection part structural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The connection part length is designed to be larger than the longest distance from the suture connection location to each needle end. This dimensional parameter ensures that the connection part maintains sufficient structural integrity and engagement with the needle while allowing the suture to have an optimized cross section area for minimizing tissue trauma.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3136980B1Needle-suture combination
Publication Date: 2020.02.12 MELLON MEDICAL
  • EP3136980B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3136980B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3f
  • EP3136980B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The present invention relates to a needle-suture combination, comprising: a surgical needle having two ends and a suture connection location arranged between the two ends; a suture; and a connection part, wherein a first end of said connection part is connected to the needle at the suture connection location and an opposite second end of the connection part is connected to the suture, wherein the connection part comprises a connection part cross section area and the suture comprises a suture cross section area, characterized in that the connection part cross section area is smaller than the suture cross section area, and in that the connection part has a length which is larger than a longest distance from the suture connection location to each of the two ends of the needle.