Polymeric Surgical Ligation Clip with Bifurcated Guide Track

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical ligation clips are inefficient in piercing soft connective tissue and often cause tissue damage during and after surgery due to their blunt design and exposed sharpened edges.

Innovation Solution

A polymeric surgical ligation clip with an elongated concave lower leg, a hingedly connected elongated upper leg, a bifurcated guide track, and a hook section with sharpened edges and an oblique flank to facilitate precise tissue penetration and minimize damage, along with a stress cavity and bosses for easy application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional blunt ligation clips are used, then the device structure is simple, but the efficiency of piercing soft connective tissue is poor and tissue damage occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclip structure simplicityVSAvoidtissue piercing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The clip is designed with differentiated local properties: the majority of the clip body remains blunt and smooth for easy manufacture and tissue compatibility, while specific localized regions (leading edges, incising surfaces) are sharpened to provide efficient tissue penetration and cutting capability. This resolves the contradiction by concentrating cutting functionality only where needed rather than making the entire clip sharp.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The clip structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: smooth body portions for structural integrity and easy manufacture, and sharpened portions (leading edges, incising surfaces) for tissue penetration. The bifurcated guide track is also segmented to provide guided motion paths. This segmentation allows different parts to have optimized properties for their specific functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If traditional ligation clips with exposed sharpened edges are used, then tissue penetration is effective, but soft tissue damage and irritation occur during and after surgery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue penetration capabilityVSAvoidsoft tissue damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The design converts potentially harmful exposed sharp edges into beneficial contained incising surfaces. The sharpened portions are strategically positioned and geometrically configured to cut tissue cleanly during the ligation process, while the oblique flanks and guide tracks contain and control the sharp edges, preventing them from causing damage after ligation is complete. The harm of sharp edges is converted into the benefit of clean surgical cuts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The clip design incorporates protective features beforehand: the oblique flanks and guide tracks are designed to contain the sharpened edges during the entire surgical process and post-operatively. The smooth body portions surrounding the sharp edges act as protective elements that prevent accidental tissue damage while maintaining the cutting capability where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Productivity

If ligation clips are designed to be easily applied, then application speed is high, but removal becomes cumbersome and may cause collateral tissue damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication speedVSAvoidclip removal ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The clip incorporates dynamic features that facilitate both application and removal. The hinged connection between legs allows the clip to be compressed for application and then spring open for removal. The bifurcated guide track with its specific geometry provides a path that guides the hook section during closing, and the same geometry allows for controlled opening when force is applied to the legs. This dynamic design enables easy application while maintaining ease of removal without causing tissue damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Object-affected harmful factors

If polymeric ligation clips are used instead of metal, then interference with imaging devices is prevented, but tissue piercing efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging device interferenceVSAvoidtissue piercing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The polymeric material parameters are specifically optimized to achieve tissue-piercing capabilities. The polymer is formulated with appropriate hardness, elasticity, and yield strength to allow the sharpened portions to cut tissue effectively. The material parameters are chosen so that the polymeric clip can maintain structural integrity while providing sufficient cutting force, resolving the contradiction between using non-metallic materials and maintaining piercing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20220047266A1Surgical ligation clip with advanced incising means and bifurcated guide track

Publication Date: 2022.02.17 BROWN GEOFF

AI summary

An advanced polymeric, surgical clip is provided for clamping a blood vessel between two legs. A hook section of the clip comprises two sharpened forward edges for penetrating connective tissue adjacent a vessel before closing the surgical about a blood vessel. The upper leg of the surgical dip may comprise an oblique flank for disposing over the one or more edge of the hook section, the lower surface of the oblique flank defining a channel in which a tip of the hook section travels.