Patterned Sling Implant Resolving Warping and Bunching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical mesh implants for treating pelvic incontinence and other pelvic disorders lack optimal tissue integration, compatibility, and support characteristics, as they are often derived from stent and hernia implant technologies, which are not specifically designed for these applications.
Innovation Solution
A patterned sling implant with a unitary, homogeneous construct made of polymer materials, featuring a tissue support portion, extension portions, and anchoring features, designed to provide controlled stress distribution, flexibility, and tissue integration, formed through methods like molding, laser etching, and 3-D printing, with sinusoidal strut members for enhanced elongation and expansion capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional knitted or woven mesh implants are used, then tissue support is provided, but warping and bunching occur during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin film construction with a specific geometric pattern that provides flexibility during deployment while maintaining shape stability. The film is designed to be thin enough to conform to tissue contours yet rigid enough to resist warping and bunching during insertion and positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The implant is divided into a pattern of discrete geometric cells or struts that are interconnected. This segmentation allows the implant to flex and conform during deployment while the overall pattern maintains structural integrity and prevents warping. The modular cellular structure enables controlled deformation without loss of shape stability.
2Strength
If stent and hernia implant technologies are used, then barrier and rigidity are achieved, but tissue integration and compatibility are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The implant design incorporates regions of varying density and structural characteristics within the same device. Areas requiring higher rigidity have denser strut configurations, while areas requiring better tissue integration have more open, porous structures. This local variation in quality allows simultaneous optimization of strength and biocompatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite construction combining different material properties within the implant structure. The geometric pattern creates zones with different mechanical and biological properties, effectively creating a composite structure that provides both rigidity where needed and enhanced tissue integration in other areas.
3Manufacturing precision
If homogeneous unitary construct is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to different pelvic conditions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a family of implant designs that share the same homogeneous unitary construction methodology but vary in key parameters such as cell size, strut thickness, pattern density, and overall dimensions. This allows precise manufacturing control through standardized processes while providing adaptability to different patient anatomies and clinical conditions by selecting appropriate parameter sets.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of elongate pelvic implants and methods for treating pelvic conditions, such as incontinence, are provided. The implants can include a tissue support portion, one or more extension portions and one or more anchors. The implant is constructed as a unitary sling implant. The implant can be constructed or formed in a generally elongate shape to provide a lattice support structure of repeated cells.