Thin-Film Ocular Implant Surface Markings for Suture Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In minimally invasive surgical procedures, particularly for thin-film ocular implants, there is a challenge in accurately placing and securing sutures due to reduced visibility and orientation difficulties, leading to variability in suture anchoring and potential device migration.
Innovation Solution
The use of markings or geometric guides, such as surface markings, implant outline markings, or implant-shaped trials, to facilitate the placement and trajectory of surgical sutures for thin-film ocular implants, ensuring optimal fixation and preventing device migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional suturing techniques are used for thin-film ocular implants, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but there is large variability in suture anchoring and positioning due to reduced visibility and orientation difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-marking the implant surface with geometric guides and reference indicators before the surgical procedure. These markings are created during manufacturing and remain on the implant, providing pre-established reference points that guide the surgeon during surgery. This eliminates the need for real-time measurement and orientation difficulties, ensuring consistent and reliable suture anchoring positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses geometric guides and reference markings as intermediary elements between the implant and the suture placement process. These visual guides serve as a mediator that translates the abstract surgical requirements into concrete visual indicators on the implant surface, making it easier for the surgeon to accurately place sutures without direct visual feedback from the surgical site.
2Ease of operation
If holes are manufactured in the thin-film implant for suture placement, then suture fixation is enabled, but manufacturing complexity and potential structural weakness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the suture placement guidance function from the implant structure itself by using surface markings and geometric guides rather than physical holes. This allows the implant to maintain its structural integrity while still providing clear guidance for suture placement, eliminating the need to manufacture holes that would compromise the thin-film structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the desired suture placement paths through geometric guides and reference markings on the implant surface. Instead of physically altering the implant with holes, the markings provide a two-dimensional representation that guides the three-dimensional suture placement, achieving the same functional outcome without structural compromise.
3Device complexity
If no guidance markings are provided on the implant, then the implant structure remains simple, but suture placement variability increases and device migration may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual markings with distinct colors or contrasts on the implant surface to provide clear guidance for suture placement. These colored or contrasted geometric guides stand out against the implant background, making it easy for the surgeon to identify the exact placement locations and trajectories, thereby ensuring reliable fixation without adding structural complexity to the implant.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are thin-film implants or surgical tools including a plurality of surface markings or geometric guides configured to facilitate placement and trajectory of surgical sutures for thin-film ocular implants in open or minimally invasive surgical sites.